User:Nuqq/Burma Trek

The Burma Trek, also referred to as the Burma Exodus, refers to the evacuation of British civilians (including many Indian laborers and their families) and military personnel from Burma following the Japanese invasion of 1941-42. Between February and July between 400,000 and 600,000 people reached India from Burma in what was, at that point, the largest mass migration in history. That an event of such a scale should be largely unknown is due to the even greater disasters that followed shortly - the Bengal famine of 1943, and the partition of India of 1947.

Prome-Taungup-Akyab
On 23rd December 1941 Japanese aircraft bombed the capital Rangoon (now Yangon) inflicting 2,000 deaths and slightly more injured. Panic ensued, and large numbers of residents fled the city, including a large proportion of the Indian immigrants who provided street cleaning, sanitation, and dock labor. Fearing the city would be brought to a complete standstill, the British authorities persuaded 80% to return to Rangoon where many took up residence in camps on the outskirts. The remaining refugees took the road to Prome (200 miles), then over the Taungup Pass to Taungup. From here most sailed to Akyab from where they could take a steamer to Chittagong in India. Camp at racecourse. Evacuation by sea. Numbers.

Chindwin Valley-Tamu Pass-Imphal
Following the disaster of the Sittang Bridge on X it became clear that Rangoon could not be held. The final order to abandon the city was given on 20 February. Rather than follow the X route most refugees headed north to X and then made for Imphal in the Indian state of Manipur by a number of tracks across the intervening mountain ranges. Most crossed via the Tamu Pass.