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| Forgotten Armies: Britain's Asian Empire and the War with Japan (Forgotten Armies) | 
| Authors: Chris Bayly, T. N. Harper
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
Category: Book
List Price: $16.35
Buy New: $13.68
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New (14) from $13.68
Avg. Customer Rating:  11 reviews
Sales Rank: 916298
Media: Paperback
Pages: 592
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 7.7 x 4.9 x 1.2
ISBN: 0140293310
Dewey Decimal Number: 900
EAN: 9780140293319
ASIN: 0140293310
Publication Date: August 4, 2005
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| Customer Reviews:
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 Forgotten Armies -- Forgotten Beginnings March 6, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
The Japanese rampage in the Pacific and the initial defeat of both the American and British forces in the region heralded the eventual death knell for all Empires involved in the Pacific war. The military political part of this story has been told many times. The cut and thrust of combat is not what this book is intended to do -- it rather covers those peoples and groups, whose absolute numbers were large, but whose history is often not factored into the momentous events in the region at this time.
The Overseas Chinese and their suppport for China made them an obvious target for the Japanese, their suffering (massacres) and response -- from quiet resistance to active and robust guerilla efforts in Malaya -- are something often left out of normal narratives on Malaya, which usually end after the fall of Singapore. How did the Malays, indigenous Indians, and Chinese react to the Japanese triumphs? How did events play them off against each other?
Ethnic Indians in Burma largely made up the civil service and trade industries before the war, they were mostly driven out by the Burmese who exacted a terrible toll for percieved injustice of this class foisted on them by the British. Their bones lined the escape routes out of Burma -- victims of Burmese pogroms. It is therefore ironic that Indian soldiers captured during the initial onslaught would forswear their alleigence to the King for one to the Emperor -- on the promise for eventual Indian independence. It is this devil's bargain that the authors detail very well: the training, demise, renewal, deployment and utter destruction of the Indian National Army. Ironically again, this Japanese-trained army was defeated by an overwhelmingly Indian denominated and increasing Indian-led army at the end of WWII. Indians gained their freedom not by fighting against the British, but precisely by fighting under and alongside the British. With the might of India unleashed by the British, Indian officers commanding white troops, it became apparent that even in allied triumph, the days of the Raj were limited.
Britain destroyed more Japanese landforces than the entire American island-hopping campaign. Indeed these battles were the largest in Asia and the political machinations underlying the movement and supply of great armies are of a degree that it is difficult to understand. Allied cooperation in Europe looks absolutely lovie-dovie compared with the acidic and vain personalities of this theatre: the bigotted but absolutely incorrigible Stillwell, the vain and effete Mountbatten, the absolutely-bonkers Wingate, not to mention the strange warlord like Chinese generals -- laws unto themselves.
The Japanese are another forgotten army. Their complete annihilation by military campaign and starvation, relegated them to the political sidelines in almost all countries. For the politicians the Japanese were defeated, what would follow -- every plan or strategem, even from early in the war seemed to be aimed at, as Churchill said "holding our own" -- ie, maintaining empire. All efforts that did not back that were to be discouraged, and the Americans were to be the either witting or unwitting supporters of such a strategy. This of course ran the British into trouble with both the Americans, who had other ideas, and the local independence movements. In all countries with the winds of war blowing against the Japanese, independence movements initially made alliances with the British based upon shifting needs. As the Japanese dissapeared as a threat full independence was really the only choice, Britain, huffing and puffing -- but it should be admitted, not largely shooting -- was preparing for the historical inevitable.
Bayly also admirably describes Empire just before the war. The almost surreal sense of superiority the locals felt, how they sipped their Gin and Collins confident that everything would and should continue even when Europe was falling apart. Both colonial and indegenious race consciousness is described. One of the most tragic forgotten armies, the story of the Eurasians who also made up the civil service of Malaya and Singapore, being accepted by no one but relied upon by everyone. Eurasian women were seen as taboo and strictly off limits to any self-respecting white who wanted to go further and be accepted in polite society. Chinese knew they were superior to Malays and Burmese Indians got it in the neck because Burmese felt they had had it too good in a land that was not theirs.
It does seem very strange indeed that our grandfathers and fathers were sometimes raised in this cultural environment that transitioned so swiftly into the post-war world of modern understanding and cultural acceptance of today. It is this consciousness of the age that Bayly reflects so well in his writing.
 Well told story December 21, 2007
This book is a facinating retelling of the fall of the British Raj. The authors do not spare the Allies because of the misbehavior of the Japanese. One can see the consequences of the colonial attitude to the native southeast Asians--the British really did reap what they sowed. Also the authors do an excellent job of describing the terrible position of the people of Malaysia, Burma, and India--who do you support a known and hated oppressor or the new conqueror?
The Agony of Retreat October 3, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
"Forgotten Armies: The Fall of British Asia"
The War in Vietnam was intensified in part because of the protests, including self-immolation, of Buddhist monks. In l963, a 67-year-old Buddhist Monk, Thich Quang Duc set himself on fire at a busy interchange in Saigon, then the capital of South Vietnam. Duc was protesting the repressive measures of the US-backed Thieu regime. For the next twelve years, Vietnam occupied the attention of four American Presidencies and cost the nation billions and 60,000 lives.
Today, religious figures are protesting the repressive military regime in Burma. Burma, or "Myanmar" as its leaders prefer to call it (although the U.S refuses to recognize the name) has been under the control of military strongmen for years.
Aung San Suu Kyi is the daughter of Aung San, a nationalist hero who was assassinated by a rival in 1947, one year before Burma gained its independence. In 1988, during a visit from the UK, where she lived with her husband, she emerged as a political opposition leader. The following year she was placed under house arrest, where she has remained, on and off, for 12 of the last 18 years. In 1991, she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. She is currently incarcerated in one of Burma's notorious political prisons.
With international sanctions and the attention of the world's press focused on it, the former British colony and scene of one of the Second World War's most intense battles has once again come to the forefront of world politics.
In their excellent history "Forgotten Armies: The Fall of British Asia 1941-1945," Christopher Bayly and Tim Harper focus on the shameful British flight from Singapore and the political and human losses in Burma, Malaysia, India, and the rest of British Southeast Asia. Drawing on a wealth of sources including letters, diaries and records from the Japanese as well as British, they paint a discouraging picture of an empire on the brink of extinction.
They provide a detailed narrative of the flood of humanity...some say 600,000 strong...that was propelled through Asia by the advancing Japanese (or, in some cases, merely the rumor of the enemy) The Fall of Singapore was the nadir of the British Empire. Racism, elitism, ignorance, incompetence and plain stubbornness contributed to its demise.
`From the moment the first bomb fell on Rangoon on 13 December 1941 there began an exodus from Burma of the Indian, Anglo-Indian and Anglo-Burmese population which was at the time the largest mass migration in history. By the autumn of 1942 in the region of 600,000 people had fled from Burma into India by land and sea. As many as 80,000 may have perished of disease, exhaustion, or malnutrition." (Forgotten Armies: P. 167)
"Gin-swilling Sahibs" decided to destroy the Singapore compound's supply of booze before the enemy could get to it, and drank themselves silly in the process.
How often the mistakes of history are repeated when politicians ignore the past. The same scourges... war, pestilence, famine...that decimated Southeast Asia are threatening Africa, Central Asia, and the Middle East today.
Very detailed history of East Asia in World War II October 1, 2007
The Fall of British Asia is one of the better analyses of how the British Empire came under strain during the course of World War II. This accurately assesses the effect that the Japanese had on the Crescent of British power and a look at what happened to the British islands of the pacific. Although many colonial groups thought the Japanese would be their key to freedom they quickly realized how wrong they were and this book does a great job of not only showing the colonial side but the British and Japanese sides as well. These authors are two of the best within the field and they deliver another winner here. This is a great introduction to what happened to East Asia during world war II and is a great place to start.
the other side of WWII July 8, 2007
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
A gripping account of British incompetency in the Malay peninsula and Singapore, which presages the end of their empire. Puts Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor in context. Provides a good background for understanding the character of Southeast Asia.
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