How did Slim use military innovation to overcome crippling logistics shortages and develop the combat power required to defeat the Japanese?
This is the third episode of our interview with Dr Robert Lyman about the lessons in Leadership from Field Marshall Sir William Slim.
These are some of the key points of the podcast.
Creation of a Jungle Navy – With no transport available, Slim ordered the construction of 550 ten-ton teak barges using elephants, local timber, and untrained soldiers. These barges could transport Sherman tanks across the Chindwin River, significantly enhancing Allied mobility in Burma.
Air Resupply Innovation – First trialled in 1938 on the Northwest Frontier, Slim pioneered aerial resupply to bypass on the scale required to support an Army in combat. This was an excellent solution to the manoeuvre issues created by the terrain in Burma.
Tar-Soaked Hessian Airstrips – Facing relentless monsoons, 14th Army engineers developed “Bithes”—hessian strips soaked in tar—to create durable, makeshift airfields and roads in soaked jungle soil.
Combined Arms Mastery – Slim retrained his Indian forces in 1945 for high-speed, mechanised warfare, integrating infantry, armour, artillery, and air power in complex manoeuvre operations, including the capture of Meiktila. This is after retraining 14th Army for Jungle warfare. Slim shows a remarkable capability to change fundamental doctrine for an Army in a very short period of time, whilst it is still in contact. This feat is even more remarkable when it is considered that the 14th Army largest Army in the Commonwealth with around one million soldiers under command. The majority came from the British Indian Army, which was the largest all-volunteer army in history with 2,500,000 soldiers.
Operation Character – Unlike the controversial Operation Thursday, Slim’s support for the Karen Levies through SOE’s Force 136 in 1945 proved decisive in enabling the capture of Rangoon.
Strategic River Crossings – Slim’s floating bridge over the Chindwin River was the longest of WWII and enabled rapid force projection across Burma’s formidable rivers.
Approach to the employment of Special Forces – Slim respected Special Forces but insisted they support, not distract from, the Army’s objectives, a key difference from Wingate’s approach.
Multilingual Troop Engagement – Slim regularly addressed Indian troops in Hindi and Urdu, earning their trust and the nickname “Uncle Bill” from the soldiers that he commanded.
Doctrine and Training Focus – Post-1942, Slim led a comprehensive doctrine overhaul, backed by nine-month training pipelines that rebuilt 14th Army from the ground up. This is unusual for the length of time that recruits spent in training, but also reflects a strong approach to lessons learnt.
Two-Time Survivor of Dismissal Attempts – Despite attempts to sack him in 1942 and 1944, Slim’s competence led to his ultimate command of Allied Land Forces Southeast Asia.
Dr Robert Lyman has written over 15 military history books and is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. He served in the British Army for 20 years and in 2011 he won the National Army Museum’s debate for ‘Britain’s Greatest General’ on Bill Slim and in 2013 the debate for ‘Britain’s Greatest Battle’ on Kohima and Imphal. He lives in Berkshire, England.
These two books about the Burma Campaign and Slim are excellent and well worth reading.
A war of Empires.
The Generals.
Slim, Master of War.
