Thank you for this discussion. I now better understand why I've developed a fascination for this brilliant military leader. Good to know I'm justified in this recent interest.
My Grandfather in Mobile, AL, was nearly 40 years old when he was drafted into the US Army. He told me stories about the Burma Campaign, and General Stillwell. My GF was in charge of his company's Motor Pool and, in that position, he learned that the officer's drivers would bring bottles of whiskey, when they needed their Jeeps repaired in a hurry. Therefore, it was sometimes difficult to get his men up and going in the mornings. They also had a pet monkey that the men would get drunk, on those nights. By his telling, he enjoyed the adventure thoroughly.
Over my 28 years as a lecturer I met many students from India. They all seemed to believe that the India fought the war for the British. They had been taught this at school; the INA was viewed favourably and few had any idea of the threat that Japan had for India. I lent my copy of Defeat in to Victory to a number of them and had interesting conversations with some of their fathers (who had not served) and a couple of Grandfathers who had. The Grandfathers knew exactly why they fought and knew that only by cooperating with the British could India avoid Japanese control. I took a photograph of one of the grandsons standing in front of Slims statue in London holding a photo of his Grandfather who was coming close to his end. I was told the Grandfather was in tears when he saw the photo! Not the reaction of an oppressed man. It is most important that current Indian young people are made aware of what their great Grandfathers did!
Interestingly, If you go to Lusaka, Zambia 🇿🇲, you will find that the main Army HQ there is based in Arakan Barracks, indicative & commemorative of the fact that Northern Rhodesian colonial units (Mainly, the Northern Rhodesia Regiment) served with other East African formations in India & Burma during the Second World War!
The description of the withdrawal plan is exactly how the Chinese won their few victories. Slim was the only western general to bother to ask the Chinese if there was anything they could teach about fighting Japan.
When comparing both Monty & Bill Slim & asking whether each army-commander could have done the other’s job to the same effect & high degree, I would have said yes definitely they both could have probably performed each one’s position interchangeably, successfully . However, if the following question was next asked, “Between Monty & Slim, who could have replaced Dwight D. Eisenhower as Supreme Commander of SHAEF - Europe, then based purely on personality & competence, & disregarding nationality, political & other related issues, then I would have said only Slim would have been able to carry himself successfully in that job, as he undoubtedly possessed the personality, the diplomatic skills, the technical-nous & operational experience but additionally, Bill Slim also was a people person who could relate to either Kings, Presidents, Prime Ministers, Generals alike, but not solely exclusively to the most eminent of people, as he could equally make the newest private soldier or 2nd Lieutenant feel equally at ease in his presence too! As observed by former infantry private & subsequently junior officer George MacDanald Fraser in his book & personal recollections & reflections of his wartime experiences over the period, 1944-45 in Burma, in “Quartered Safe Out Here!” I understand in the historical context that Eisenhower’s job had to be carried out by an American General for political reasons, but what I am saying is that in other circumstances, Slim could have replaced him & done an equally credible job too!
Slim was able to get on with Vinegar Joe Stilwell, which very few Americans could. If that doesn't say something about Slim's character then nothing will.
Yes, I once thought that Stilwell only hated the British but after the way he treated Galahad and Merrill, and his attitude to Chiang Kai it is clear that he hated everybody.
Three totally engaging people: General Slim, Robert Lyman and Peter Moore. Thank you very much. I enjoyed hearing this discussion.
Thanks Ted! Very kind of you.
Peter Moore the gay murderer?
A fantastic discussion, thanks. This series should be much better known.
Thank you. Recording one on Churchill in 1943 today. Much more on the way.
Thank you for this discussion. I now better understand why I've developed a fascination for this brilliant military leader. Good to know I'm justified in this recent interest.
Interesting to understand the changing structures and relationships between Wavell, Auchinleck, Slim and Mountbatten in SE Asia.
My Grandfather in Mobile, AL, was nearly 40 years old when he was drafted into the US Army. He told me stories about the Burma Campaign, and General Stillwell. My GF was in charge of his company's Motor Pool and, in that position, he learned that the officer's drivers would bring bottles of whiskey, when they needed their Jeeps repaired in a hurry. Therefore, it was sometimes difficult to get his men up and going in the mornings. They also had a pet monkey that the men would get drunk, on those nights. By his telling, he enjoyed the adventure thoroughly.
Over my 28 years as a lecturer I met many students from India. They all seemed to believe that the India fought the war for the British. They had been taught this at school; the INA was viewed favourably and few had any idea of the threat that Japan had for India.
I lent my copy of Defeat in to Victory to a number of them and had interesting conversations with some of their fathers (who had not served) and a couple of Grandfathers who had. The Grandfathers knew exactly why they fought and knew that only by cooperating with the British could India avoid Japanese control. I took a photograph of one of the grandsons standing in front of Slims statue in London holding a photo of his Grandfather who was coming close to his end. I was told the Grandfather was in tears when he saw the photo! Not the reaction of an oppressed man.
It is most important that current Indian young people are made aware of what their great Grandfathers did!
Interestingly, If you go to Lusaka, Zambia 🇿🇲, you will find that the main Army HQ there is based in Arakan Barracks, indicative & commemorative of the fact that Northern Rhodesian colonial units (Mainly, the Northern Rhodesia Regiment) served with other East African formations in India & Burma during the Second World War!
The description of the withdrawal plan is exactly how the Chinese won their few victories.
Slim was the only western general to bother to ask the Chinese if there was anything they could teach about fighting Japan.
Slim - master of war.
He certainly liked little boys.
@@MarkHarrison733 What's that bs means?
@@rolandjohansson2714 He sexually abused children in Australia.
@@rolandjohansson2714 Slim was a notorious paedophile, like Montgomery.
@@rolandjohansson2714 Slim was a nonce.
When comparing both Monty & Bill Slim & asking whether each army-commander could have done the other’s job to the same effect & high degree, I would have said yes definitely they both could have probably performed each one’s position interchangeably, successfully . However, if the following question was next asked, “Between Monty & Slim, who could have replaced Dwight D. Eisenhower as Supreme Commander of SHAEF - Europe, then based purely on personality & competence, & disregarding nationality, political & other related issues, then I would have said only Slim would have been able to carry himself successfully in that job, as he undoubtedly possessed the personality, the diplomatic skills, the technical-nous & operational experience but additionally, Bill Slim also was a people person who could relate to either Kings, Presidents, Prime Ministers, Generals alike, but not solely exclusively to the most eminent of people, as he could equally make the newest private soldier or 2nd Lieutenant feel equally at ease in his presence too! As observed by former infantry private & subsequently junior officer George MacDanald Fraser in his book & personal recollections & reflections of his wartime experiences over the period, 1944-45 in Burma, in “Quartered Safe Out Here!”
I understand in the historical context that Eisenhower’s job had to be carried out by an American General for political reasons, but what I am saying is that in other circumstances, Slim could have replaced him & done an equally credible job too!
Slim was able to get on with Vinegar Joe Stilwell, which very few Americans could.
If that doesn't say something about Slim's character then nothing will.
Yes, I once thought that Stilwell only hated the British but after the way he treated Galahad and Merrill, and his attitude to Chiang Kai it is clear that he hated everybody.
Slim should have been prosecuted for child abuse.
Why was he not prosecuted for abusing children in Australia?
Because a dead and buried man cannot be arrested. Neither can he defend himself.
Because it was clear that the accusation was malicious. No evidence whatsoever was produced to support the accusation!
@@nickjung7394 He abused many children, as did Montgomery.
My grandad served under general slim with the Chindits
Did he know he liked children?