It's a disgrace how these men have been forgotten. Gave their lives to be treated like crap. My paternal grandfather was part of the West African army stationed in Burma...he had a good life and career after the 2nd world war, unfortunately so many didn't .
It's not that they were forgotten, it's that they were far less important than the more publicized campaigns, and battles. For example if you compare this campaign to the battle of dunkirk you'll start to see the point. In Dunkirk both sides were still unsure who'd win, and was a major battle because the allies who'd had the advantage up untill now in superiority in numbers no longer had that advantage as most of the allied armys were encircled in dunkirk, and became a major turning point in the war in favor of they axis. Now lets look at this campaign in India (british raj at this time). It wasn't a major turning point in the war, as the japanese were already being pushed back by the chinese, American troops had already taken over many Japanese Islands in what is now Micronesia, and were very close to the Japanese homeland. The japanese were attacking with a force less than 200,000 against a force of over one million allied troops, and the Japanese troops also had inferior air support in these battles, and far less equipment. So why are these troops special? There not, theres so many enormouse, and small campaigns in this war that too try to teach about them all would just be insane, If you want to learn about all of these campaigns Join AP history, or AP euro. they weren't forgotten, just as they didn't forget the indian operations in eritrea, or the Spanish divisions given too france that liberated Paris. In every war theres soldiers, and some soldiers fight more important battles that others I beilive a quote by Bernard Montgomery sums this up "Every soldier must know, before he goes into battle, how the little battle he is to fight fits into the larger picture, and how the success of his fighting will influence the battle as a whole."
@@nicholascolafrancesco3932 No the British system worked on skin colour they had no problem documenting it I don't believe any Black man has any business fighting Russians, Chinese, North Koreans, Venezualans or Iranians to keep posh speaking, rich fucks, tax dodgers in their mansions. Let their superior Plebs do the dying and bleeding, struggling to put their guts back into their open bellies, or watch their friends struggle for life with open head wounds full of shattered bone and brain matter since they are so blessed.
Thanks to racist British it has been forgotten now. Brave countries who fought in WWII were USA, Russia, Canada, France, India, China from the Allies side. From Axis it was only Germany and Japan who fought bravely but were the enemy of the world as they were racist fascists. Italians were jokers during WWII minus few who fought well.
My Father was a Lance Bombadier with the 81st West Africans and following initial language problems had great respect for the men of West Africa who served with him, he came back to UK in 46 and had a good life, how many of the West Africans who served can say the same
Let me ask you something, why do they, or why would they make movies on Normandy, Hacksaw Ridge, Dunkirk? To either show war was hell, or because it was an important moment in the war. It's not that they "won't dare" it's that in such a large war this specific campaign was far less important. I could say "they wouldnt dare to talk about the new zealander divisions in British malaya, the indian divisions in Eritrea, or the brasilians in Rome" and to suggest that is ludacris. War was hell for everybody these soldiers came back too there country like everyone else, poor, and without a job. Now let me ask you a question: what makes these 90,000 soldiers differnt? These 90,000 divisions were defending India, who wasn't able to legitamately contribute to the war effort untill 1941. The red sea was blocked off by the Italians untill 1941 when they finally pulled out there entire fleet, the indian divisions in france were undersupplied, and illiterate in french and retreated from paris before the french did, the british mainland supplied them as there home land the british raj couldn't supply them. I'm not trying to say they didn't contribute, nor that they don't deserve respect but your acting like there this huge "forgotten army" that contributed all this much, and there incredibly important! They were soldiers, like everyone else, from all differnt nationalities, and lands. The only thing that seperates them from the Australians fighting in the same campaign is that they were african
Bujang Berahi it's because it didn't have much American involvement, Hollywood films usually ignore anything that didn't have American involvement, not because they were black (the British, Indian and Gurkhas of the British Imperial forces are also ignored by Hollywood, as are the Nationalist Chinese Army troops, who were sent by Chiang kai Shek to fight alongside the British Empire troops, it's not really Anti African, it's more Anti anyone who wasn't American).
I'm shocked that American movies made by Americans, for American audiences, focus mostly on Americans rather than the relatively minor contributions of a couple of West African divisions serving in a relatively unimportant theater of the war. Is my sarcasm coming through?
My uncle was part of the Burma war, he often reels out the story in nostalgia. He is over 70 years with no benefit or recognition by the people who exploited his youthful age.
My uncle served in the 81st West Africa Division of the 14th Army and was wounded, shot in the back while washing mess tins in a river by Japanese who had hidden in the water. His mate immediately jumped into the river and killed the 2 Japanese with his bare hands. If he hadn't my uncle would not have survived. He died at 77 with the bullet still in his back. My uncle didn't talk much about it but my Dad told me about him.
Just a possibility.... was your uncle shot during the Arakan campaign...was he airlifted to hospital? Was the pilot of the tiny evacuation plane my father? We will never know for sure, even if we got precise dates and places because the planes flew in pairs..... my dad got to take the more severely wounded because he was recognised as the pilot who could land most gently. Love your "name".... its GR8 ;-)
My father served in India Burma from 42 till 46 had a terrible time by all accounts but never spoke of them till just prior to his death when his bad memories came to the fore! Horrendous memories to pass away on. I am so proud of him and all that saw service in the far East, they were and are the forgotten!
my grandad fought in the war with the Indian army against the Japanese. he died before I could meet him but I'm immensely proud of him and all of the brave men and women who fought in the war, regardless of nationality ethnicity, or creed.
As a black man and a Iraq War veteran... I give honor and respect to these brave warriors. Up until a 9 minutes ago I had never even heard of the contribution these brave men made to society as a whole. Damn shame. Alot of the old timers are about gone. I hope they are given thier just do before they leave this world. They earned it.
As I grow I realise I know so little about world history. I'm both awed and ashamed by the lack of attention these accounts receive in the media. And more so am angered by the lack of acknowledgement men and women depicted here have endured.
Before this video, I had read a book about the West African soldiers in Burma. My deepest respect to these heroes. It is a shame they did not had their bonus and were forgotten.
Ghana's independence was based on the catalyst of returneees from the Burma campaign marching to get monies owed but denied. The Brits paid for their shilling pinching by losing Afrika.
Every soldier's story in this war deserves to be remembered. The fact that these courageous souls had been forgotten about for all these years is completely unacceptable, but hey what's new?
Got stories from my grandmom whose uncle went to Burma. Hollywood and American ww2 history just made it as if these never happened. They're totally forgotten. I hope one day someone thinks to make a movie out of it. We need to see their stories.
Just finished reading a booking about the Burma campaign, as much as anything because I didn’t know that much about it. The British relied so much upon the brave West Africans and Indians and I greatly respect what they did in this often overlooked part of the war. I am appalled they were not compensated, as promised upon their return to home 😢
In chennai, earlier known as Madras during colonial times, west african soldiers who fought in the war lay buried at Madras War Cemetery. It is a small spot well maintained by Commonwealth Graves Commission
Breaks my heart. My grandfather was a part of the West African Soldiers. He was from Sierra Leone. Fought in Burma and was stationed in India and Europe. Tamba Amadu Been doing my best to find information on him. West African Soldiers fought hard yet we still were mistreated.
One died recently in Freetown aged over a 100. A photo of him standing tall, medals on his chest giving a salute and our people a still treated with animosity in Europe.
I have immense respect for the tens of hundreds of thousands of black and brown men from Africa, South East Asia and the Carribbean who fought for so long and so hard for the British Empire to overcome its enemies. I also have immense gratitude to all the young Canadian, Australian and New Zealander men who came across the world to save the motherland from defeat. The true spirit of success in the World Wars was one where all different creeds, colours, religions, ethnicities, nations and nationalities fought together, shoulder to shoulder for freedom, democracy and a better world where evil is confronted and overcome. We should never allow ourselves to be divided, to be taught to hate the 'other,' for the benefit of those people who gain something by dividing and conquering us, when in realty we are all one race; the human race.
500 thousand initial draft who kicked out the Italians in East Africa and went on to fight in Burma in total there were 1 million African troops in WW2 serving in British and Free French. Some also served as part of vichy French
Wow, I did not know that there were (West) Africans that served in Burma or the Southwest Asia theather region in WW2. They didn't teach that in school or even in college. There British masters should compensate them just like the Americans compensated their Filipino comrades in the Philippines.
If you don't know about it then it's ur fault for your being complacent in your own ignorance. My grandfather (white), fought with Queen Victoria's own Madras sappers and miners, the pictures in his photo album from after the war when they stayed to rebuild Burma are of white, black, Indian and Gurkha soldiers. His comrades who fell from all over the Empire are remembered equally in death at the commonwealth war graves Romford.
@@chientranhvoitoi8820 these were just the ones serving the brits, the Italians had Senegalese soldiers in the western front, and their were also East African soldiers who served but i forgot on which front.
And when the men peacefully demonstrated in Accra Ghana regards 2 these promises they were met with gunfire from police. Some of those police also served on Burma
My dad was an RSM with the RWAFF in Ghana. He served with the DCLI, an opportunity came up, he took it. Then his war was Burma, whilst his DCLI men were in Europe of course.
My grandfather was also part of the East Africa Askari, went to Burma, South Africa, Ethiopia,Madagascar,Egypt etc. unfortunately he retired a very poor man, his fellow non-Coerced Kenyans were doing much better than he did, they misused him just like anyone else!! what a great shame!
@John Buhl It was not an AfriKans war to fight. AfriKans needed that manpower to fight for its own freedom. Brits refusal to pay the returning soldiers what they were owed was the catalyst for the loss of their "empire".
The war cemetry at Kohima, Nagaland, and in Imphal, Manipur, North East India, contains the names of the men from West Africa along with Indians(Including Pakistanis), Canadians, British, Burmese, who laid down their lives during the battle of Kohima and Imphal. Previously I didn't know soldiers from Africa were involved in this remote corner of the world, until I saw those names myself.
+Luke Dodson We're talking Britain during it's imperialist past. Although these efforts should be recognised today I doubt Europe or America cares. All these guys wanted was the financial rewards they were promised and to be remembered and respected by historians. We'll be lucky if we get a bronze memorial in London. Britain has come a long way since then but there is still a long way to go, it's just really encouraging that there are individuals in these isles who care.
At some point the soldier narrating about Burma fought in close proximity among the brave Kings African Rifles from Central Kenya. The way he says "Ngai ngai ngai" on recollection is enough proof.
Due to there subjects breaking away even when conditions were improving. Look at the Golden coast for example, every citizen of the golden coast as a subject was required to be educated. But they broke away, leaving there nation with far less trade oppurtunities, and generally incompitant politicians. And too prove this why do you think that all of these african nations started too revolt in the 1960's, and 1950's rather than before or later? It's because they could afford too. The same reasons the peasent farmers revolted in the russian empire instead of the proletariet. They wouldn't starve. Previousely in the past if you fought back you just starve too death, as you were paid the bare minimum, as in just enough to survive and buy food. The British empire increased wages, and living conditions as many british citizens saw there living conditions as immoral, and wrong. The British empire did, and then they lost there colonies. Though, take into note differnt areas had differnt conditions. They couldn't develop India the same way they did Egypt, or Sudan because there was too many people. After the British left the only aspect unifieing India (then the British Raj) was the British. So when they left the Muslims, and Hindies were thrown into civil war with the Burmese, Pakistanies, and Bangladesh breaking away from India.
Nigeria once had a great army…Bokoharam ravishing and tearing down the Nigeria military.. anyway it’s the negligence of the top military government and their leaders..
My grand dad fought in the 82nd West African division stationed in Burma. Lance Corporal. G.S Bob-Manuel. I know because my dad has a letter he sent to his brother from Burma. I wish I could find more details of him.
Thank you, African People for our Motherland, Myanmar(Burma). We are still fighting rebels in these forests because British divided our unity and destroyed our minds. One day, African and Asian people will stop fighting and our future children will enjoy their lives happily.
@theguardian Please does anyone have links to the full/more of the interviews? I'm looking to make a video about Africa and Africans in world war II 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽
You're right, a tiny fraction of the troops fighting in Burma were American (poor choice of example perhaps?) most were Indian, British, West African, Burmese and Chinese. Happy to say the legacy of the then British Empire troops who fought in Burma is well remembered by those in the know and with an interest in military history. I am quite sure most people know little of the 14th Army as a whole, let alone the diverse nationalities which made up its ranks and beyond that the fascinating diversity of cultures within the Indian and African regiments. It is a great shame that the men of the West African Divisions who fought so bravely in Burma were simply shrugged off after the war, it should never have happened. 3:08 I assume this is in reference to 3rd Brigade, 81st (West Africa) Division detached to serve with the Chindits during Operation Thursday in 1944, sadly it's not strictly accurate, the preceding Chindit operation of 1943, Longcloth, had also been supplied entirely from the air.
It's not that these divisions were misrepresented, ignored, or forgotten. It's that there not mentioned often, and thats what happens in large wars. Noone remebers the Canadian corps left and garrisoned in Sicily. Or the Indian divisions that were fighting they Italians in Somalia, and Ethiopia. Or even the Indonesian soldier fighting the Japanese are rarely mentioned. the fact is that they weren't the most important place in the war, and therefore aren't mentioned as much. It's not wrong people don't commonly think of the indonesians, canadians, or indians in this war, or even the "blue division" fighting the soviets which was spanish soldiers. And anyone who knows anything about the war knows that these nations, and differnt people groups fought in the world war. And personally I see nothing wrong with the history books not mentioning these campaigns all too often. Other examples of "forgotten campaigns/soldiers in ww2) Brasilian expeditionary forces in Italy Turkish volunteers in the Wermacht, Waffen SS New zealander divisions in British Malaysia Portuguese (volunteer) soldiers fighting for both the axis and allies Swedish volunteers to the Nazis in Norway+Denmark in conclusion I don't beilive it should be constantly mentioned in the history books, of course the soldiers should. But its another campaign, with another people group fighting for the right side
British, Commonwealth forces halted Japan advances in South East Asia 1944: Britain's led Commonwealth forces supported by other Allied forces went on the offensive liberating the territories they had previously lost while supporting American forces in the Pacific island hopping campaign.
It's a disgrace how these men have been forgotten. Gave their lives to be treated like crap. My paternal grandfather was part of the West African army stationed in Burma...he had a good life and career after the 2nd world war, unfortunately so many didn't .
It's not that they were forgotten, it's that they were far less important than the more publicized campaigns, and battles. For example if you compare this campaign to the battle of dunkirk you'll start to see the point. In Dunkirk both sides were still unsure who'd win, and was a major battle because the allies who'd had the advantage up untill now in superiority in numbers no longer had that advantage as most of the allied armys were encircled in dunkirk, and became a major turning point in the war in favor of they axis. Now lets look at this campaign in India (british raj at this time). It wasn't a major turning point in the war, as the japanese were already being pushed back by the chinese, American troops had already taken over many Japanese Islands in what is now Micronesia, and were very close to the Japanese homeland. The japanese were attacking with a force less than 200,000 against a force of over one million allied troops, and the Japanese troops also had inferior air support in these battles, and far less equipment. So why are these troops special? There not, theres so many enormouse, and small campaigns in this war that too try to teach about them all would just be insane, If you want to learn about all of these campaigns Join AP history, or AP euro. they weren't forgotten, just as they didn't forget the indian operations in eritrea, or the Spanish divisions given too france that liberated Paris. In every war theres soldiers, and some soldiers fight more important battles that others I beilive a quote by Bernard Montgomery sums this up "Every soldier must know, before he goes into battle, how the little battle he is to fight fits into the larger picture, and how the success of his fighting will influence the battle as a whole."
@@nicholascolafrancesco3932 No the British system worked on skin colour they had no problem documenting it I don't believe any Black man has any business fighting Russians, Chinese, North Koreans, Venezualans or Iranians to keep posh speaking, rich fucks, tax dodgers in their mansions. Let their superior Plebs do the dying and bleeding, struggling to put their guts back into their open bellies, or watch their friends struggle for life with open head wounds full of shattered bone and brain matter since they are so blessed.
@@Kalydosos You write so much for the obvious purpose of advancing the ridiculous practice of remembering the world wars without the Non- Europeans.
@@whitetig2 Exactly.
It's a shame these campaigns have been so ignored by the history books.
I know right! Us black people never get any credit for what we do.
There should be a movie.
Baron Von Wolf guys throwing rocks and spears don’t make history. They make fertilizer.
Thanks to racist British it has been forgotten now. Brave countries who fought in WWII were USA, Russia, Canada, France, India, China from the Allies side. From Axis it was only Germany and Japan who fought bravely but were the enemy of the world as they were racist fascists. Italians were jokers during WWII minus few who fought well.
U can find it in many History books...its the Educational system which fails them.
My Father was a Lance Bombadier with the 81st West Africans and following initial language problems had great respect for the men of West Africa who served with him, he came back to UK in 46 and had a good life, how many of the West Africans who served can say the same
Well said Matt, my uncle was one of them.
Matt Stanyard did you father take any pictures of that time period?
Well said. Brothers in arms (in life and death) should remain brothers in peace. Respect to all war heroes, even the humble forgotten ones.
But never care for after that war
not even one Hollywood and British Producers dare to make movie on them.. the forgotten Army..
Let me ask you something, why do they, or why would they make movies on Normandy, Hacksaw Ridge, Dunkirk? To either show war was hell, or because it was an important moment in the war. It's not that they "won't dare" it's that in such a large war this specific campaign was far less important. I could say "they wouldnt dare to talk about the new zealander divisions in British malaya, the indian divisions in Eritrea, or the brasilians in Rome" and to suggest that is ludacris. War was hell for everybody these soldiers came back too there country like everyone else, poor, and without a job. Now let me ask you a question: what makes these 90,000 soldiers differnt? These 90,000 divisions were defending India, who wasn't able to legitamately contribute to the war effort untill 1941. The red sea was blocked off by the Italians untill 1941 when they finally pulled out there entire fleet, the indian divisions in france were undersupplied, and illiterate in french and retreated from paris before the french did, the british mainland supplied them as there home land the british raj couldn't supply them. I'm not trying to say they didn't contribute, nor that they don't deserve respect but your acting like there this huge "forgotten army" that contributed all this much, and there incredibly important! They were soldiers, like everyone else, from all differnt nationalities, and lands. The only thing that seperates them from the Australians fighting in the same campaign is that they were african
Bujang Berahi it's because it didn't have much American involvement, Hollywood films usually ignore anything that didn't have American involvement, not because they were black (the British, Indian and Gurkhas of the British Imperial forces are also ignored by Hollywood, as are the Nationalist Chinese Army troops, who were sent by Chiang kai Shek to fight alongside the British Empire troops, it's not really Anti African, it's more Anti anyone who wasn't American).
I'm shocked that American movies made by Americans, for American audiences, focus mostly on Americans rather than the relatively minor contributions of a couple of West African divisions serving in a relatively unimportant theater of the war.
Is my sarcasm coming through?
Bujang Berahi thats because it never happened. nigerians operated along the rail corridor, but only in battalion strength.
Or Nollywood?
Respects to grand pa African soldiers and Black African American soldiers during World War II. Love from India.
Indians were also used during ww2
Every colony was used.
My uncle was part of the Burma war, he often reels out the story in nostalgia. He is over 70 years with no benefit or recognition by the people who exploited his youthful age.
we should have payed you for your effort to the war just like we payed the "white man" as we are all the same at heart.
My grandfather was in the French African army in the Vietnam war 🐘🇨🇮🇫🇷 before he died he would tell me stories of how his experience was
My grandfather was an officer for a Gurkha regiment during the Burma campaign.
DaDiyaTa my great grandfather joined DCR military during ww2
@@roland3042 Thanks for your Grandfather.I solute.Thanks you.
My uncle served in the 81st West Africa Division of the 14th Army and was wounded, shot in the back while washing mess tins in a river by Japanese who had hidden in the water. His mate immediately jumped into the river and killed the 2 Japanese with his bare hands. If he hadn't my uncle would not have survived. He died at 77 with the bullet still in his back. My uncle didn't talk much about it but my Dad told me about him.
My grandpa fought for the British army in WWII and was shot on the stomach and still had some particles of the bullet in him till he died at 80
Just a possibility.... was your uncle shot during the Arakan campaign...was he airlifted to hospital? Was the pilot of the tiny evacuation plane my father?
We will never know for sure, even if we got precise dates and places because the planes flew in pairs..... my dad got to take the more severely wounded because he was recognised as the pilot who could land most gently.
Love your "name".... its GR8 ;-)
@@japeking1 commenting for an update
Respect to these veterans from Ireland 🇮🇪
Thank you so much for this. Dad was with 82nd from 1940 to 1945. Burma from 1940 to some time after VJ Day
My grand uncle fought at Burma. He told us l8ts of stories as kids. He died in 2008.
I'm from Anambra State, Nigeria.
As a Burmese, thank you for your service. We will never forget you
My father served in India Burma from 42 till 46 had a terrible time by all accounts but never spoke of them till just prior to his death when his bad memories came to the fore! Horrendous memories to pass away on. I am so proud of him and all that saw service in the far East, they were and are the forgotten!
My grandfather PA Bockarie Farandugu was part of Burma War and played a vital role. From Sierra Leone 🇸🇱
Thank you for your service.
THANK YOU IS NOT ENOUGH. JUST GIVE THEM THE LIFE PENSION THEY DESERVED.
sole caring I’m not sure that is in Ricardo’s gift
my grandad fought in the war with the Indian army against the Japanese. he died before I could meet him but I'm immensely proud of him and all of the brave men and women who fought in the war, regardless of nationality ethnicity, or creed.
My great grand daddy was in burma 🇳🇬🇳🇬
As a black man and a Iraq War veteran... I give honor and respect to these brave warriors. Up until a 9 minutes ago I had never even heard of the contribution these brave men made to society as a whole. Damn shame. Alot of the old timers are about gone. I hope they are given thier just do before they leave this world. They earned it.
As I grow I realise I know so little about world history. I'm both awed and ashamed by the lack of attention these accounts receive in the media. And more so am angered by the lack of acknowledgement men and women depicted here have endured.
I agree
Wow man and they are not teaching us this in school
they dont need to
@@anime-cu7sq just bc they dont need to doesnt mean they shouldnt
Before this video, I had read a book about the West African soldiers in Burma. My deepest respect to these heroes. It is a shame they did not had their bonus and were forgotten.
Ghana's independence was based on the catalyst of returneees from the Burma campaign marching to get monies owed but denied. The Brits paid for their shilling pinching by losing Afrika.
Thank you for the information. But Great Britain should pay these veterans or their families, even if their countries are independant now.
I think this should be taught A LOT more often! Currently learning this in my school rn. Thanks for the informational video!
Thank you for your service West African Army and god bless
Every soldier's story in this war deserves to be remembered. The fact that these courageous souls had been forgotten about for all these years is completely unacceptable, but hey what's new?
Without your selfless efforts, victory may not have been possible. Thank you.
The story is the same in East Africa. The old soldiers were never compensated.I had a grand uncle who served in Burma.
So glad I found this video. Wonderful!
Got stories from my grandmom whose uncle went to Burma. Hollywood and American ww2 history just made it as if these never happened. They're totally forgotten. I hope one day someone thinks to make a movie out of it. We need to see their stories.
Just finished reading a booking about the Burma campaign, as much as anything because I didn’t know that much about it. The British relied so much upon the brave West Africans and Indians and I greatly respect what they did in this often overlooked part of the war. I am appalled they were not compensated, as promised upon their return to home 😢
First time knowing about this. So many stories to tell. Brave men who fought and died on foreign soil.
There are still graves of quite a few of them here in India, resting peacefully in war cemetery maintained by the British ofcourse!
My grandad was in ww2 with the Nigerian army.
In chennai, earlier known as Madras during colonial times, west african soldiers who fought in the war lay buried at Madras War Cemetery. It is a small spot well maintained by Commonwealth Graves Commission
Thank you Sirs for your service 😢😢
90,000??!! That's an entire field army!
Thankyou all African nations for your defence,and being part of the forgotten army..your hero's in my eyes.
My great grandfather fought for the British and allied forces he later died in N. Ghana out of poverty
My grandfather’s brother has a similar story he to is Ghanaian
Interesting, this could and probably should of been made in to a full documentary.
They aged well
Breaks my heart. My grandfather was a part of the West African Soldiers. He was from Sierra Leone. Fought in Burma and was stationed in India and Europe. Tamba Amadu Been doing my best to find information on him. West African Soldiers fought hard yet we still were mistreated.
What a interesting song they are teaching the children to sing towards the end.
One died recently in Freetown aged over a 100. A photo of him standing tall, medals on his chest giving a salute and our people a still treated with animosity in Europe.
Freetown, Sierra Leone?
I have immense respect for the tens of hundreds of thousands of black and brown men from Africa, South East Asia and the Carribbean who fought for so long and so hard for the British Empire to overcome its enemies. I also have immense gratitude to all the young Canadian, Australian and New Zealander men who came across the world to save the motherland from defeat. The true spirit of success in the World Wars was one where all different creeds, colours, religions, ethnicities, nations and nationalities fought together, shoulder to shoulder for freedom, democracy and a better world where evil is confronted and overcome. We should never allow ourselves to be divided, to be taught to hate the 'other,' for the benefit of those people who gain something by dividing and conquering us, when in realty we are all one race; the human race.
500 thousand initial draft who kicked out the Italians in East Africa and went on to fight in Burma in total there were 1 million African troops in WW2 serving in British and Free French. Some also served as part of vichy French
Wow, I did not know that there were (West) Africans that served in Burma or the Southwest Asia theather region in WW2. They didn't teach that in school or even in college. There British masters should compensate them just like the Americans compensated their Filipino comrades in the Philippines.
I didn't no that either till about 2 months ago. The only teach you mostly about American stuff in school.
If you don't know about it then it's ur fault for your being complacent in your own ignorance. My grandfather (white), fought with Queen Victoria's own Madras sappers and miners, the pictures in his photo album from after the war when they stayed to rebuild Burma are of white, black, Indian and Gurkha soldiers. His comrades who fell from all over the Empire are remembered equally in death at the commonwealth war graves Romford.
@@kylesmith4513 Your so wrong.
@@kylesmith4513 I'm a history major and I've heard nothing about this.
@@chientranhvoitoi8820 these were just the ones serving the brits, the Italians had Senegalese soldiers in the western front, and their were also East African soldiers who served but i forgot on which front.
Their grandchildren must've really enjoyed all their stories and adventures.
And when the men peacefully demonstrated in Accra Ghana regards 2 these promises they were met with gunfire from police. Some of those police also served on Burma
Agh yes, the 1948 riots?
My dad was an RSM with the RWAFF in Ghana. He served with the DCLI, an opportunity came up, he took it. Then his war was Burma, whilst his DCLI men were in Europe of course.
My grandfather was also part of the East Africa Askari, went to Burma, South Africa, Ethiopia,Madagascar,Egypt etc. unfortunately he retired a very poor man, his fellow non-Coerced Kenyans were doing much better than he did, they misused him just like anyone else!! what a great shame!
You learn something new everyday.
It is really sad for Great Britain to forget these men help and services.
Black man took a bullet, white man took credit...
John Buhl then we shouldn’t of took part in your war
@John Buhl It was not an AfriKans war to fight. AfriKans needed that manpower to fight for its own freedom. Brits refusal to pay the returning soldiers what they were owed was the catalyst for the loss of their "empire".
@John Buhl it was a white mans war. if someone dies they deserve recognition for what they did it is just sad
How it always goes
@Jack Brown Your entire comment is pointless and meaningless.
Smart Japanese woman up in the tree. Snipes after seeing a white man among the black men.
She knew who the bad guys are
I'm proud to see this 🇳🇬
The war cemetry at Kohima, Nagaland, and in Imphal, Manipur, North East India, contains the names of the men from West Africa along with Indians(Including Pakistanis), Canadians, British, Burmese, who laid down their lives during the battle of Kohima and Imphal.
Previously I didn't know soldiers from Africa were involved in this remote corner of the world, until I saw those names myself.
Thanks you for your service.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!!
you would have thought that we would have sorted them out in some way. not just discard them
+Luke Dodson We're talking Britain during it's imperialist past. Although these efforts should be recognised today I doubt Europe or America cares. All these guys wanted was the financial rewards they were promised and to be remembered and respected by historians. We'll be lucky if we get a bronze memorial in London.
Britain has come a long way since then but there is still a long way to go, it's just really encouraging that there are individuals in these isles who care.
Her name was Rajama lol. 🤣 It must have been memorable so memorable he remembered her name without thinking, after all these many years
At some point the soldier narrating about Burma fought in close proximity among the brave Kings African Rifles from Central Kenya. The way he says "Ngai ngai ngai" on recollection is enough proof.
British Imperial left so many chaos in the world around !
***** I am not angy with Roman nor with British only with CCP !
I loved those monuments they left everywhere :)
and good schools !!!
+456inthemix the romans were great.
Due to there subjects breaking away even when conditions were improving. Look at the Golden coast for example, every citizen of the golden coast as a subject was required to be educated. But they broke away, leaving there nation with far less trade oppurtunities, and generally incompitant politicians. And too prove this why do you think that all of these african nations started too revolt in the 1960's, and 1950's rather than before or later? It's because they could afford too. The same reasons the peasent farmers revolted in the russian empire instead of the proletariet. They wouldn't starve. Previousely in the past if you fought back you just starve too death, as you were paid the bare minimum, as in just enough to survive and buy food. The British empire increased wages, and living conditions as many british citizens saw there living conditions as immoral, and wrong. The British empire did, and then they lost there colonies.
Though, take into note differnt areas had differnt conditions. They couldn't develop India the same way they did Egypt, or Sudan because there was too many people. After the British left the only aspect unifieing India (then the British Raj) was the British. So when they left the Muslims, and Hindies were thrown into civil war with the Burmese, Pakistanies, and Bangladesh breaking away from India.
Not the only forgotten vets
Sometimes you’re not really thinking you’re gonna become a hero and then you do
We pay our respects to our fallen heroes
As a Black/British citizen with Nigerian heritage I feel we was fighting the wrong side ....
No you definitely fought the wrong side. Japan would have made it to India if not for the help of the African soldiers
You did should’ve aided the axis because the allies weren’t better
@@TimezOfInfamy some Africans did aid the axis
Nigeria once had a great army…Bokoharam ravishing and tearing down the Nigeria military.. anyway it’s the negligence of the top military government and their leaders..
I was told my maternal grandfather fought in Burma too. Sadly I never met him to hear his story
Such fine men...
There are still so many books, movies, documentaries, and TV series left to tell about World War II.
thank u for service
Kunle Afolayan or Tunde Kelani needs to make a movie about the Royal West African Frontier(RWAFF) Men.
yes!
I salute you from Bumar(Myanmar)
If you live in Africa and wacht this and still not Unite Africa and share one economy for the this people the curse will keep going on
Never heard it before oh my AFRICA
So my Country Nigeria 🇳🇬 fought against the Japanese 🇯🇵 in WW2 which means we are better than British 🇬🇧
@@Amoore-vv9wx let him be
Wow!!! These men age very slowly because they still look very young and look younger than white ww2 veterans tbh with you
My grand dad fought in the 82nd West African division stationed in Burma. Lance Corporal. G.S Bob-Manuel. I know because my dad has a letter he sent to his brother from Burma.
I wish I could find more details of him.
Did he come back..did he survive the war
@@rabzy595 yes he survived but he was sick and died a few years after
Thank you, African People for our Motherland, Myanmar(Burma). We are still fighting rebels in these forests because British divided our unity and destroyed our minds. One day, African and Asian people will stop fighting and our future children will enjoy their lives happily.
5:20
❤
@theguardian Please does anyone have links to the full/more of the interviews?
I'm looking to make a video about Africa and Africans in world war II 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽
I will not fight no one else's war because no one will fight mine.
I was completely unaware that African soldiers also fought against Japanese.
Yeh Europe the colonial era did very well to keep people in the dark on African current affairs and history
Lest we forget!!!
I am from india..
My 50 peasant family members Fight in burma border in 2nd w. War
Alas.hind fouj
Sad
Respect
Sgt Sanson was my father he fought in WWII Force Number 903
My dad flew medevac for the West African division ( in the Arakan mainly ). Let him see through the patronising racism he had been raised with.
V E R Y T H I C K J U N G L E
It’s thiCC
You're right, a tiny fraction of the troops fighting in Burma were American (poor choice of example perhaps?) most were Indian, British, West African, Burmese and Chinese.
Happy to say the legacy of the then British Empire troops who fought in Burma is well remembered by those in the know and with an interest in military history. I am quite sure most people know little of the 14th Army as a whole, let alone the diverse nationalities which made up its ranks and beyond that the fascinating diversity of cultures within the Indian and African regiments.
It is a great shame that the men of the West African Divisions who fought so bravely in Burma were simply shrugged off after the war, it should never have happened.
3:08 I assume this is in reference to 3rd Brigade, 81st (West Africa) Division detached to serve with the Chindits during Operation Thursday in 1944, sadly it's not strictly accurate, the preceding Chindit operation of 1943, Longcloth, had also been supplied entirely from the air.
Thank you old soldiers for protected our Burma.
Wow👏
Can I know the song of La la la it’s hard work working for you captain
Burma camp in Ghana 🇬🇭
They were all forgotten.
It's not that these divisions were misrepresented, ignored, or forgotten. It's that there not mentioned often, and thats what happens in large wars. Noone remebers the Canadian corps left and garrisoned in Sicily. Or the Indian divisions that were fighting they Italians in Somalia, and Ethiopia. Or even the Indonesian soldier fighting the Japanese are rarely mentioned. the fact is that they weren't the most important place in the war, and therefore aren't mentioned as much. It's not wrong people don't commonly think of the indonesians, canadians, or indians in this war, or even the "blue division" fighting the soviets which was spanish soldiers. And anyone who knows anything about the war knows that these nations, and differnt people groups fought in the world war. And personally I see nothing wrong with the history books not mentioning these campaigns all too often.
Other examples of "forgotten campaigns/soldiers in ww2)
Brasilian expeditionary forces in Italy
Turkish volunteers in the Wermacht, Waffen SS
New zealander divisions in British Malaysia
Portuguese (volunteer) soldiers fighting for both the axis and allies
Swedish volunteers to the Nazis in Norway+Denmark
in conclusion I don't beilive it should be constantly mentioned in the history books, of course the soldiers should. But its another campaign, with another people group fighting for the right side
Sounds like political narrative no?
REspect my dad fought there RESpect to all that were there
A movie about the Calais garrison sacrifice and the Burmese war whould me made
I lol'ed at the name African Banana.
British, Commonwealth forces halted Japan advances in South East Asia 1944:
Britain's led Commonwealth forces supported by other Allied forces went on the offensive liberating the territories they had previously lost while supporting American forces in the Pacific island hopping campaign.
Were they used as Meatshields?,so that is why so many died?
You already know
indians watching this when he said indians were wonderful people be like "PROUD MOMOENT" agree ?