Part of a series of events and exhibitions at the museum marking the 80th anniversaries of both VE Day and VJ Day in 2025.
The war in Eastern Asia ended abruptly, violently and chaotically following the nuclear bombs at Hiroshima and Nagasaki. While the Imperial Japanese Army had been defeated in Burma and was losing the war in the Pacific, her army in Malaya, Hong Kong, French Indo-China, the Netherlands East Indies, Manchuria and Siam was undefeated.
Many of these countries saw the end of the war as their chance for independence and Gurkha, Indian and British troops became responsible for restoring colonial rule and became locked into open combat.
The Allies’ most pressing task was recovering their prisoners of wars and civilian internees knowing little about their condition or locations in camps across South East Asia, China and Japan. Japan’s sudden surrender created a seismic resetting of the political and social order in the region, as power vacuums were exploited for political gain and rapid decisions were made with consequences which still reverberate today.
Our speaker:
Lieutenant Colonel Mike Tickner is a retired Regular Army officer with a long term interest in the British Army in India and particularly the Far East campaigns and the North West Frontier. He regularly gives talks to military and civilian groups, clubs and museums and writes the occasional article. He has led battlefield studies to the India and South-East Asia, most recently to Singapore.
Friends members get money off events tickets! Enjoy this event for £10 with your Friends' discount code (check your latest newsletter or event reminder for your code).
