La Battaglia di Kohima ha rappresentato il punto di svolta nella Campagna di Birmania (Operazione U GO, verso l'India), nell'aprile del 1944. Ho trovato un bell'articolo che descrive l'importanza decisiva dell'impiego dei pur superati M3 Lee http://overlord-wot.blogspot.it/2013/07/lee-to-serve.html For two weeks the Commonwealth forces held on until reinforcements were able to break the Japanese hold on the main supply road and open the way to Kohima. Despite the fresh supplies the situation was still far from safe. The Japanese had to be pushed back, and that's where the tanks show up. Along with other tank regiments the 149th Royal Armoured Corp, equipped with M3 Lee's moved up to Kohima. In Burma the M3 had gained a reputation for being very good off road. One example comes from later in 1944. An M3 Lee from the 149th Regiment drove up Kennedy peak (the one in Burma, not the US) to take part in the fighting there. Kennedy peak has a recorded elevation of 2703 meters! At Kohima, to finally open the road and push the Japanese back, the area around the District Commissioner's bungalow had to be secured. However to get up to the battlefield, without using the Japanese held section of the road, a tank would need to climb a slope well beyond the capabilities of any tank. At this point a daring plan was hatched. Using bulldozers to cut a path through the jungle, the bottom of the ridge line was reached. From there on a single M3 Lee was winched up the side of the 1261 meter high ridge! ... The Japanese, although surprised by the sudden appearance of a rampaging tank in their midst, quickly began to pelt it with small arms fire to no avail. Sgt Waterhouse spotted a very sturdily constructed bunker, made out of a steel water tower and heavily sandbagged. The bunker was blown to pieces by a shot from the 75mm gun. With their command bunker gone, along with a strong point and lacking the ability to stop the tank, the Japanese soldiers dropped their weapons and began to flee! ... On closer inspection of the Bungalow it was found that about 40 Japanese soldiers had dug in. After mopping up soldiers found some writing scrawled on the walls of a bunker. Although written by a Japanese soldier the words were in English, it said: "British! - Too many Guns, Tanks, Troops. Japanese going. Back in Six months!" They never were.
