State Historical Society of Iowa

Destruction of a Burmese Village after a Japanese Bombing, ca. 1942 (Image)

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Courtesy of Library of Congress, "There was no military objective in this happy Burmese village. The object of the savage Japanese bombing was to create panic and drive the native population on to the roads and into the jungle," ca. 1942

Description

The black and white photograph shows the destruction caused by a Japanese bombing raid that struck a Burmese village. The caption of the image from the war department stated, "(t)here was no military objective in this happy Burmese village. The object of the savage Japanese bombing was to create panic and drive the native population on to the roads and into the jungle."

Source Dependent Questions

  • According to the United States War Department, why did the Japanese attack this Burmese village? For what other reasons could it have done so?
  • Describe the geography depicted in the photograph. How did this lead to different tactics than the image from the European theater?
  • Burma (Myanmar) was a British colony before it was invaded and occupied by Japan. Why would Burma (Myanmar) be significant in World War II?

Citation Information

"There was no military objective in this happy Burmese village. The object of the savage Japanese bombing was to create panic and drive the native population on to the roads and into the jungle," ca. 1942. Courtesy of Library of Congress Courtesy of Library of Congress