Chindits (corruption of the Burmese Chinthe, a mythical animal that sits at the entrance of Burmese pagodas to ward off evil spirits). It is a term applied to the operations carried out by Orde Wingate in the Burma campaign in 1943 and 1944 and the troops that took part in them. In these Wingate's novel ideas were carried out: that troops could operate in enemy territory supplied entirely from the air, and could cut enemy communications to assist offensives by regular forces.
The first expedition took place between February and April 1943 with one brigade. The tangible results were few: some bridges and railway lines blown and some Japanese bewildered; and a third of the force were casualties. But news of the adventure had a clear effect on morale in a theatre that was still recovering from defeat.
The second expedition, which took place between March and July 1944, was much bigger. Six brigades took part, with a large US air component, four of them being flown into Burma, with an advance party in gliders to secure and develop landing strips for the main force in Dakotas. In a few nights 600 sorties flew in 8, 000 men and about 1, 400 mules, at the cost of about 30 killed in gliders.
One brigade effectively throttled the railway line and later heroically captured the town of Mogaung. The other brigades harassed to some effect, though the attempt to mount another block proved disastrous. With Wingate killed in a crash soon after the start of the operation and the American Gen Stilwell in overall command the operation petered out in exhaustion. Argument has continued about the cost-effectiveness of the operation. Few have denied the imaginativeness of the concept.
Bibliography
- Bidwell, Shelford, The Chindit War (London, 1979).
- Thompson, Julian, War behind Enemy Lines (London, 1998)
— Richard Rhodes James
