Kohima: Britain’s Greatest Battle

Dr Robert Lyman outlines his case for why Kohima should be considered Britain’s greatest battle.

In 2013, the National Army Museum ran a poll to find out what the nation regarded as Britain’s greatest land battle. This culminated in a public debate during which Dr Robert Lyman persuaded members of the audience to choose the events at Imphal and Kohima in 1944 as their overall winner.

In this illustrated talk, Dr Lyman will reprise his success in the debating chamber by explaining the strategic significance of these victories, both in defeating the Japanese invasion of India and in opening the door to the reconquest of Burma in 1945.

This event has been developed by the Kohima Educational Trust as part of the Kohima 80th Anniversary Weekend.

About the speaker

Robert Lyman

Dr Robert Lyman FRHistS is a writer and historian. He is a Research Fellow at the Changing Character of War Centre, Pembroke College, University of Oxford.

Since finishing a 20-year career in the British Army, he has published widely on the Second World War in Europe, North Africa and Asia. He is Field Marshal William Slim’s military biographer. He was the BBC’s historical adviser for the VJ-Day commemorations in 2015 and 2020, and is a regular contributor to documentary films on aspects of the conflict.