'Elegantly written and beautifully produced' TLS
How 'Uncle Bill' won the war in Burma
Defeated and demoralised, British units in the Far East had virtually
been ejected from Burma when, in 1943, General W. J. Slim organised,
trained and then deployed his famous 'forgotten' 14th Army to
devastating effect, defeating the Japanese twice and liberating Burma in
the process. One of the most innovative soldiers of his generation,
Slim's 'smart' style of soldiering was startling in its modernity - and
with it he achieved something no one believed possible.
An intelligent, compassionate commander, the unconventional Slim was
also a heroic figure to the men he commanded - known affectionately to
the ranks as 'Uncle Bill'. This biography tells the fascinating story of
how he brought victory out of defeat; Lyman now gives him his rightful
place, alongside Patton and Guderian, in the pantheon of eminent and
unorthodox Second World War commanders.