I have got to say the main reason I read this book was to learn something about the Burma Campaign after buying the Burma Campaign DLC for OoB WW2.
I will warn you that the book is short on details regarding the great battles that happened in the CBI - Imphal, Kohima, etc. It's not that they are not covered, they are, but in a general timeline/sense sort of way because the author goes into extraordinary detail outlining all the personages in the CBI theater and how dysfunctional most of the relationships between the main characters were. The author peels back the legend and exposes the men who commanded in the theater. Apparently Stillwell's anti-British attitude was only exceeded by his outright hatred of Chiang Kia Shek, the only British general he could stomach was Slim. Orde Wingate was a crank and an exhibitionist, apparently, Mountbatten was a climber and a substandard intellect and on and on. Really fascinating to read about the flawed personalities. The author really bares the flaws of about everyone involved in the CBI theater, but he also outlines their strengths as well. Even FDR and Churchill get their flaws exposed. About the only person not slammed is Slim, who is about the most underrated British General from World War 2 that us Yanks don't really know a damn thing about. Great book that will leave you shaking your head and wondering just how much more screwed up the Axis leadership was for this Allied three ring circus to prevail!
I will warn you that the book is short on details regarding the great battles that happened in the CBI - Imphal, Kohima, etc. It's not that they are not covered, they are, but in a general timeline/sense sort of way because the author goes into extraordinary detail outlining all the personages in the CBI theater and how dysfunctional most of the relationships between the main characters were. The author peels back the legend and exposes the men who commanded in the theater. Apparently Stillwell's anti-British attitude was only exceeded by his outright hatred of Chiang Kia Shek, the only British general he could stomach was Slim. Orde Wingate was a crank and an exhibitionist, apparently, Mountbatten was a climber and a substandard intellect and on and on. Really fascinating to read about the flawed personalities. The author really bares the flaws of about everyone involved in the CBI theater, but he also outlines their strengths as well. Even FDR and Churchill get their flaws exposed. About the only person not slammed is Slim, who is about the most underrated British General from World War 2 that us Yanks don't really know a damn thing about. Great book that will leave you shaking your head and wondering just how much more screwed up the Axis leadership was for this Allied three ring circus to prevail!
