Nagaland Kohima War 1944-45
Kohima World War 2 1944-45.
The Kohima war was culmination of the 2nd World war. the Japanese forces entered into British Indian territories in 1944 along the foothills of Patkai range near Lake Latchem. the two divisions of Japanese Army, namely, 31st and 33rd Division entered into north east India.
While the 33rd Division entered Manipur valley and captured Moirang, the other division entered into Naga territories through Burma and positioned themselves in chakhesang and southern Angamis region.
on 4th April 1944, the first confrontation between British and Japanese troops took place at Aradura Hills. by 5th april, 1944 Allied Armies were surrounded by japanese forces on all sides. In those days Kohima was defended by Assam regiment, Royal West Kent and 161 Brigade. Japanese forces numbering about 10,000 surrounded the Allied forces. they set up outposts at Kohima village, Treasury Hills (now DC's office), jail Hills (now DGP's office) and central Kohima town (now where the hotel japfu stands).
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Nagaland Kohima War
The Allied forces were slowly poshed towards Garrison hills (now kohima war cemetery) and were confined to a narrow area . face to face combit took place fiercely between the British and japanese forces. mainwhile, road from Dimapur to Kohima town was cut out by Japanese forces near the Zubza, about 17kms below Kohima town.
The Allied forces, mostly consisting of British and Indian contingents, suffered from shortage of logistic supplies. finding no way out, even non-combatent tradesmen also took up guns to fight out enemies. hand to hand fights were also reported by the onlookers in their stories.
British-Indian army resisted the onslaught gallantry for 13 days. at last they received a reinforcement of the 2nd division of British army on 18th april 1944. when the new contingent joined it was a complate reversal of battle outcome. from the verge of inflecting a defeat on British army, now they started to fall back due to conter-attacks of the 2nd division.
field marshall William Slim recalled in his memoir that Kohima war was one of the bloodiest that had ever seen and taken part. it should go a long way in the history of world war 2.
Casualities of Nagaland kohima war 1944-45
Casualities on both sides were heavy. at kohima war cemetery lay buried the gallant defenders of Kohima. there are 1421 graves of Christian, Hindu, Muslim, Sikh and Jew soldiers who had fought the battle for Indians as well as Nagas. but for their glorious secrifice our Nagaland should have been under the occupation of another alien colonial power.
Role of Angamis Naga in Kohima War.
By now the angamis Nagas forgot the bloody episodes of Anglo-Naga rivalry up to 1879. this time they fought staunchly on the side of defenders, i.e the British led Allies forces. in innumerable ways they helped the cause of Allies both inside and outside Kohima.
to simple and illiterate hill men who for last 2 generations had looked upon British Government as supreme and all powerful, its temporary weakness must have been a puzzle. but even when the japanese forces swept over the hills with apparently irresistible force and Charles Pausey, the Deputy commissioner, was be seized and made importent in his seat, Angamis Nagas never faltered in their loyalty to British Government.
they slipped through the japanese lines with valuable intelligence, rescued wounded soldiers and baffled the invaders by giving false information. villages that were in enemy hands for 3 months still maintained contact with Allied forces in every possible manner. the news received from them by runners who were travelling secretly was passed on to allies at night. this cooperation was only a part of Naga's share in a common fight.
After 70 years of peace, the bloods of Naga warriors stirred once again. poorly armed, they ambushed and killed many Japanese soldiers and brought in a large number of prisoners of war. the full story of their part in second world war has still to be told time and again to upcoming generations of Nagas by way of a lession.
The Nagas, anxious to win their status, and fame of head hunders, would not have bothered to take prisoners. however, those captives who had been brought alive bore the testimony that Angamis had given up the notorious practice well before the war.
thus, the Nagas fought the second world war together with the Allies force against the invader Japanese forces.
References
Nagaland sduty books/Tapanjit Sinha.
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