What Do We Still Forget About the 'Forgotten War'?

Join Dr Robert Lyman and Lucy Betteridge-Dyson as they discuss aspects of the Burma campaign that remain under-represented in accounts of the war.

Once referred to as the ‘Forgotten War’, the Burma campaign has received much attention from historians in recent years. However, there remain areas of the conflict that are much less understood than others.

In this special wide-ranging discussion, Dr Robert Lyman and Lucy Betteridge-Dyson will take us beyond the myths and talk about elements of the campaign that have truly been forgotten. They will cover topics such as the role of the Chinese Army, the Burmese hill tribes, the Indian Army, Hill 170 and much more. 

About the speakers

Dr Robert Lyman is a writer and historian who spent 20 years in the British Army. He has published widely on the Second World War looking at Europe, Asia and North Africa. He is also Field Marshal Bill Slim’s military biographer. He was the BBC’s historical advisor for VJ (Victory over Japan) Day commemorations in both 2015 and 2020, and is the author of ‘A War of Empires: Japan, India, Burma & Britain: 1941-45’.

Lucy Betteridge-Dyson is a historian and broadcaster who specialises in military and animal history. An enthusiastic public speaker, she is particularly passionate about engaging a wider audience with the history of the First and Second World Wars, and has worked with the BBC, Channel 4 and Global Radio. Her current research focuses on the Third Arakan Campaign of 1945 and the use of mules in 20th-century conflicts.