Showing War in the Wilderness: The Chindits in Burma 1943-1944 by Tony Redding

War in the Wilderness: The Chindits 1943 - 1944, is the most comprehensive account ever published of the human aspects of the Chindit ware in Burma. Every Chindit endured what is widely regarded as the toughest sustained Allied combat experience of the Second World War. The Chindit expeditions behind Japanese lines in occupied Burma 1943 - 1944 transformed the morale of British forces after the crushing defeats of 1942. The Chindits provided the springboard for the Allies' later offensives. The two expeditions extended the boundaries of human endurance. The Chindits suffered slow starvation and exposure to dysentry, malaria, typhus and a catalogue of other diseases. They endured the intense mental strain of living and fighting under the jungle canopy, with the ever-present threat of ambush or simply 'bumping' the enemy. Every Chindit carried his kit and weapons (equivalent to two heavy suitcases) in the tropical heat and humidity. Some who could no longer march were left behind with virtually no hope of survival. Fifty veterans of of the Chindit expeditions kindly gave interviews for this book. Many remarked on the self-reliance that sprang from living and fighting as a Chindit. Whatever happened to them after their experiences in Burma, they knew that nothing else would ever be as bad. There are first-hand accounts of the costly battles and the final, wasteful weeks, when men were forced to continue fighting long after their strength had collapsed. War in the Wilderness continues the story as the survivors returned to civilian life. They remained Chindits for the rest of their days, members of a brotherhood forged in extreme adversity.This highly detailed and well researched perspective on the accounts of surviving Chindits will appeal to all military history enthusiasts. This paperback book has 448 pages and measures: 23.6 x 16 x 2.5cm.