Battle of Oktwin
Encyclopedia
Battle of Oktwin Mar. 20 - 23, 1942, was the second battle in the Battle of Yunnan-Burma Road
in the Burma Campaign
of World War II
and Second Sino-Japanese War
.
On March 20, the Japanese 143rd Regiment plus cavalry units of the 55th Division
attacked the positions of the Chinese 5th Army Cavalry Regiment north of the Kan River, driving the Chinese forces back with heavy losses. The bulk of the cavalry regiment was withdrawn to the north of Toungoo, leaving only a company of cavalry and infantry each to delay the advancing Japanese. Meanwhile the commanding general of 200th Division, Dai Anlan’s fortifications at Oktwin and around Toungoo were now ready. They were built using timber, which was in abundant supply, and all positions were carefully concealed. On March 21, Japanese forces brushed aside the delaying forces and reached the 200th Division outposts at Oktwin.
The 122nd Regiment of the 55th Division attacked 200th Division positions at first light on March 22, but made little headway. Japanese forces attacking the Chinese positions consisted of a battalion of infantry with several guns; the defenders were the 1st Battalion, 600th Regiment. The Japanese sent cavalry forces around the left flank of the Chinese and the position was stabilized only when reserve forces of the 1st Battalion, 598th Regiment were committed immediately in counterattacks.
The Japanese were now more careful after the ambush, and used their artillery and machine guns to fire at suspected positions before sending their infantry forward. Light machineguns were positioned up among the trees and caused many Chinese casualties. Eventually the Chinese set up their heavy machineguns to fire at an angle to deal with this menace.
On March 23, the Japanese attacked again on the left flank with strong artillery and air support. The battle continued until 4 p.m. without much success for the attackers, who then tried another flanking move with a company of infantry and scores of cavalry troops around the right side of the Chinese positions. The Chinese held their ground until nightfall and fell back to the main defensive line at Toungoo on March 24.
Battle of Yunnan-Burma Road
Battle of Yunnan-Burma Road was the name of the Chinese intervention to aid their British allies in the 1942 Burma Campaign. Its forces were composed of the Fifth, Sixth and Sixty-sixth Army under the command of the Chinese Expeditionary Force in Burma, commanded by Lt. General Joseph Stilwell, Lt...
in the Burma Campaign
Burma Campaign
The Burma Campaign in the South-East Asian Theatre of World War II was fought primarily between British Commonwealth, Chinese and United States forces against the forces of the Empire of Japan, Thailand, and the Indian National Army. British Commonwealth land forces were drawn primarily from...
of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and Second Sino-Japanese War
Second Sino-Japanese War
The Second Sino-Japanese War was a military conflict fought primarily between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. From 1937 to 1941, China fought Japan with some economic help from Germany , the Soviet Union and the United States...
.
On March 20, the Japanese 143rd Regiment plus cavalry units of the 55th Division
55th Division (Imperial Japanese Army)
-History:The 55th Division participated in the invasion of Burma during the Burma Campaign.General Officers 55th Division* 1940 - 1941 Lieutenant-General Torazo Ishimoto* 1941 - 1942 Lieutenant-General Hiroshi Takeuchi, Thailand-Burma...
attacked the positions of the Chinese 5th Army Cavalry Regiment north of the Kan River, driving the Chinese forces back with heavy losses. The bulk of the cavalry regiment was withdrawn to the north of Toungoo, leaving only a company of cavalry and infantry each to delay the advancing Japanese. Meanwhile the commanding general of 200th Division, Dai Anlan’s fortifications at Oktwin and around Toungoo were now ready. They were built using timber, which was in abundant supply, and all positions were carefully concealed. On March 21, Japanese forces brushed aside the delaying forces and reached the 200th Division outposts at Oktwin.
The 122nd Regiment of the 55th Division attacked 200th Division positions at first light on March 22, but made little headway. Japanese forces attacking the Chinese positions consisted of a battalion of infantry with several guns; the defenders were the 1st Battalion, 600th Regiment. The Japanese sent cavalry forces around the left flank of the Chinese and the position was stabilized only when reserve forces of the 1st Battalion, 598th Regiment were committed immediately in counterattacks.
The Japanese were now more careful after the ambush, and used their artillery and machine guns to fire at suspected positions before sending their infantry forward. Light machineguns were positioned up among the trees and caused many Chinese casualties. Eventually the Chinese set up their heavy machineguns to fire at an angle to deal with this menace.
On March 23, the Japanese attacked again on the left flank with strong artillery and air support. The battle continued until 4 p.m. without much success for the attackers, who then tried another flanking move with a company of infantry and scores of cavalry troops around the right side of the Chinese positions. The Chinese held their ground until nightfall and fell back to the main defensive line at Toungoo on March 24.
External links
- Topographic Map NE 47-5 Toungoo
- Axis History Forum: Chinese 200th Division: descriptions of actions needed! Discussion and map of the battle of Toungoo and the actions leading up to it.
