William Slim, Viscount Slim Pertama: Perbezaan antara semakan

Pada permulaan tahun 1944, Slim memegang pangkat rasmi kolonel dengan pangkat waktu perang setara major-jeneral dan pangkat sementara leftenan jeneral.<ref name=LG_20>{{London Gazette|issue=36331|startpage=319 |date=14 January 1944 |accessdate=31 December 2007}}</ref> Pada bulan Januari 1944, apabila Serangan Arakan Kedua berhadapan dengan serangan balas tentera Jepun, bahagian Infantri ke-7 India dengan cepat dikepung bersama-sama dengan sebahagian Divisen Infantri ke-5 India dan Division ke-81 (Afrika Barat). Pertahanan Divisen ke-7 India adalah sebahagian besarnya berdasarkan pada "Peti Tadbir" dibentuk pada mulanya dari pemandu, tukang masak, pembekal dan lain-lain. Mereka dibekalkan melalui udara, dengan itu menidakkan kepentingan saluran bekalan mereka terputus. Tentera Jepun berjaya menghentikan serangan ke Arakan, tetapi mereka tidak dapat kemenangan mutlak untuk mengalahkan kuasa-kuasa bersekutu atau mara melampaui formasi yang dikepung.

 

In early 1944, Slim was appointed a Companion of the [[Order of the Bath]] (CB).<ref name=CB>The CB was awarded prior to 31 March 1944 when Slim is recorded with this honour in the ''[[London Gazette]]'', but the record of the award appears to be unpublished.</ref> Later in 1944 the Japanese launched an invasion of India aimed at Imphal, hundreds of miles to the north. Slim airlifted two entire veteran divisions (5th & 7th Indian) from battle in the Arakan, straight into battle in the north. Desperate defensive actions were fought at places such as [[Battle of Imphal|Imphal]], [[Battle of Sangshak|Sangshak]] and [[Battle of Kohima|Kohima]], while the [[Royal Air Force|RAF]] and [[United States Army Air Forces|USAAF]] kept the forces supplied from the air. While the Japanese were able to advance and encircle the formations of 14th Army, they were unable to defeat those same forces or break out of the jungles along the Indian frontier. The Japanese advance stalled. The Japanese, who had a contempt for British and Indian troops based on their performance in 1941–42 refused to give up even after the [[monsoon]] started and large parts of their army were wrecked by conducting operations in impossible conditions. The initial Japanese plan was to capture Allied stocks of food, medicine and fuel to sustain their advance; but they failed to capture any stockpiles. As a result their units took unsupportable casualties and were finally forced to retreat in total disorder in July 1944, leaving behind many dead from hunger and disease as well as their injured. On 8 August 1944, Slim was promoted to lieutenant-general,<ref name=LG_21>{{London Gazette|issue=36642|startpage=3659|supp=yes |date=8 August 1944 |accessdate=31 December 2007}}</ref> and, on 28 September 1944, he was appointed a Knight Commander of the [[Order of the Bath]] (KCB).<ref name=LG_18>{{London Gazette|issue=36720|startpage=4473|supp=yes

|date=28 September 1944 |accessdate=31 December 2007}}</ref> In December 1944, during a ceremony at Imphal in front of the [[Scotland|Scottish]], [[Gurkha]] and [[Punjabi people|Punjabi]] regiments, Slim and three of his corps commanders ([[Philip Christison|Christison]], [[Geoffrey Scoones|Scoones]] and [[Montagu Stopford|Stopford]]) were knighted by the viceroy [[Archibald Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell|Lord Wavell]] and invested with their honours: Slim was presented with his insignia as KCB, the others with their [[Order of the British Empire|KBEs]]. Slim was also mentioned in despatches.<ref name=LG_19>{{London Gazette|issue=36753|startpage=4794|supp=yes |date=17 October 1944 |accessdate=31 December 2007}}</ref>

Pada tahun 1945, Slim melancarkan serangan ke atas Burma, dengan garis bekalan regangan sehingga hampir ke titik gagal merentasi beratus-ratus batu melalui hutan tanpa jalan. Beliau menghadapi masalah yang sama yang dihadapi oleh pihak Jepun semasa serangan 1944 yang gagal pada arah bertentangan. Beliau menjadikan perbekalan tenteranya isu utama dalam pelan kempen. Sungai Chindwin direntasi oleh jambatan Bailey terpanjang di dunia pada masa itu. Selepas menyeberangi sungai Irrawaddy dia menawan bandar Meiktila, diikuti dengan bandar kedua Myanmar, Mandalay . Pelan Slim merupakan adalah satu seni operasi, dan penawanan Meiktila meninggalkan kebanyakan tentera Jepun di Burma tanpa bekalan. Pihak Berikat telah sampai ke dataran terbuka di pusat Burma, meluru keluar dan memecahkan angkatan penyerang Jepun menjadi terasing, mengekalkan inisiatif pada setiap masa, dengan disokong oleh kerjasama udara-darat termasuk pembekalan semula melalui udara dan sokongan udara dekat, yang dilakukan oleh kedua-dua RAF dan unit USAAF.