Trek Back from Burma

About the Book The book describes the fall of Burma-how the British and Indian armies surrendered to that of the Japanese in Burma. Probably, the Japanese were better fighters than Britishers, man for man. The book highlights the major faults of the campaign. The British and Indian troops had no air support in Burma; they were ill-trained, ill-fed, no proper medical care, always retreating, usually outnumbered, outfought, and fighting without hope of relief.

Later, the Burmans were under the control of the Japanese. The book lists the incidents which finally led to the evacuation of the country, such as lack of natural adaptability of the forces, lack of adequate training, use of faulty or outdated equipment, and not backed by better organization.

About the Author Wilfred Graham Burchett (1911-1983), journalist, was born on 16 September 1911 at Clifton Hill, Melbourne, youngest of four children of Victorian-born parents George Harold Burchett, builder and farmer, and his wife Mary Jane Eveline, née Davey. Wilfred spent his childhood in south-west Gippsland and Ballarat. He attended Ballarat Agricultural High School, but his parents' indebtedness-resulting from the cost of medical treatment for his sister Amy and the failure of his father's building business-curtailed his formal education at age of 15. While working in manual jobs during the Depression, he developed a hunger for knowledge, a flair for languages and a zest for travel.

In 1940, Burchett began his career in journalism. He was the first foreign correspondent to enter Hiroshima after the atomic bomb was dropped, and he attracted controversy for his activities during the Korean and Vietnam Wars. He was known for his reporting of conflicts in Asia and his Communist sympathies.

**Contents and Sample Pages**