Beyond Burma

Detail from 'Troops of the Royal West African Frontier Force in the Arakan, Burma, 1944'

18 Sep 2025 – 13 Apr 2026

Beyond Burma: Forgotten Armies

Marking the 80th anniversary of VJ (Victory over Japan) Day, this exhibition shines a light on the remarkable multinational army that fought in some of the toughest conditions of the Second World War.

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Detail from a commemorative poster to mark the 50th anniversary of VE/VJ Day, 1995

Victory over Japan

On 15 August 1945, the British government broadcast news of Japan’s unconditional surrender. This date was declared Victory over Japan Day (VJ Day) and people from all walks of life celebrated the official end of the Second World War.

Ted Senior during his time as a prisoner of war, c1943

In Their Own Words: Major Ted Senior

Ted Senior was captured by the Japanese during the Second World War and forced to work on the Thai-Burma ‘Death Railway'. The diary he kept reveals the horrific conditions that he and his fellow prisoners endured.

Troops of the Royal West African Frontier Force in the Arakan, Burma, 1944

This painting by Captain Hugh Micklem depicts West African soldiers on campaign in Burma (now Myanmar) during the Second World War.

Japanese flag captured by 6th Battalion, 5th Mahratta Light Infantry, 1945

Yosegaki Hinomaru: Japanese good-luck flags

A collection of flags captured during the Second World War sheds light on the tough close-quarter combat of the Burma campaign and provides some rare insights about soldiers of the Imperial Japanese Army.

Men of the 10th Gurkha Rifles clearing enemy positions on 'Scraggy' hill, Burma, 1944

Battles of Imphal and Kohima

These battles formed the turning point of one of the most gruelling campaigns of the Second World War. The Japanese defeat in north-east India in 1944 became the springboard for the subsequent re-conquest of Burma.

Claude Auchinleck: The auk

After initial successes in North Africa during the Second World War, Field Marshal Sir Claude Auchinleck transferred to India as Commander-in-Chief. His unstinting logistical support there was vital to the Allied re-conquest of Burma.

Indian troops of the 17th Division in Payagyi during the advance on Rangoon, April 1945

The Far East campaign

Between December 1941 and August 1945, British Commonwealth troops and their allies fought a bitter war across the vast expanses of Asia and the Pacific Ocean against a tenacious and often brutal enemy.

William Slim: The soldiers’ soldier

Field Marshal William Slim led the Fourteenth Army in Burma during the Second World War. Despite inheriting a disastrous situation, he restored his men's morale and led them to victory against the Japanese.

Soldiers of the 81st West African Division with a canoe, Burma, c1944

Discussion

22 Jan 2026 £10.00

The Burma Boy: 15 Years On

Join a panel of experts as they discuss public understanding of African service in the Burma campaign and how it has evolved over the past decade.

Explore Beyond Burma learning resources

A live interpreter dressed as a British Indian Army soldier in Burma during the Second World War

Video

Jungle Fighter: Meet Shaam Lal

Discover the role of the British Indian Army in Burma during the Second World War, exploring soldiers’ motivations, experiences and hopes.