Sittang Bridge

15. Premier Burma historian Louis Allen stated the importance of the action when he wrote, “The blowing of the Sittang Bridge (Fig 5 ) with two brigades still on the wrong side of the river was the turning-point in the first Burma campaign.”.
16. Three days after the bridge was blown, the Japanese moved across the river and continued the pursuit of the 17 Division. As the Japanese advanced towards Rangoon, changes were made to the British command and control architecture. First, the ABDA Command was dissolved on or about 25 February. Wavell kept the position as the Commander-In-Chief India. Second, Wavell, perhaps looking for a scapegoat for Sittang River, fired Hutton and replaced him with General Sir Harold Alexander, making him the

As soon as Slim assumed command, he conducted his own commander’s estimate. He immediately began visiting his Soldiers to make an assessment. While he was doing this, he moved his headquarters right behind his leading division. He wanted to assure his Soldiers that he was part of the team and the closeness of his headquarters facilitated more frequent visits with them.
23. After spending some time with his Soldiers and staff he made his assessments of BurCorps. He put together a list of factors that had contributed to the situation they currently found themselves. These factors included :
(a) An intelligence system which contributed nothing of importance regarding the enemy;
(b) A collection of Soldiers and units ill-trained and ill-equipped for jungle warfare; (c) His combat units were severely below strength in men and equipment; (d) The local populace was of little assistance to the Allied cause; (e) There was a huge gap of eighty miles between his two divisions, which the Japanese continually capitalized

By 9 May, the majority of the BurCorps crossed the Chindwin. During the crossing, Slim’s forces became a magnet for refugees wanting to leave Burma. This was another challenge thrown into the mix for Slim. After crossing the Chindwin, BurCorps faced one more significant obstacle in its movement into India--the Kabaw Valley. The Kabaw valley was certainly not the ideal location for an already decimated unit to move through..
29. Slim describes the horrific condition of his Soldiers, yet with a touch of his keen sense of humor in the following comments: Clothing was in rags, officers and men had only what they stood up in. Beards were common as shaving kits had grown scarcer and scarcer. I had tried growing a beard myself at one time in the retreat when it was becoming rather fashionable, but mine appeared completely white, and the probable effect on the troops of having a Corps Commander who looked like Father Christmas was such that I resumed shaving with the relic of a blade.
30. After six unimaginable days, the BurCorps broke through the Kabaw valley and on 15 May 1942, made it into