The Banzai Hunters: The Forgotten Armada of Little Ships That Defeated the Japanese, 1944-45 (World War II Stories)

General W. J. "Bill" Slim's bloody and fraught victory over the Japanese on the mainland would not have been possible without the springboard provided by a remarkable assortment of army and navy men. In this thoroughly researched and accessible analysis, Peter Haining details their insidious assaults. They traveled in small boats, landing craft, and even frogman suits, making their way along the rivers and onto the islands along the eastern coast of Burma. Together, they opened the way for a turning point as vital as El Alamein in the Western Desert or D-Day on the Normandy beaches. The Japanese response is also illustrated, depicting how Lieutenant General Sakurai instituted his own missions, ordering his men to show no mercy and take no prisoners. Largely based on personal stories by the men who served, it also draws on documents and information from naval and army records.