Japan gifted Manipur a museum of peace built on the memories of one of the fiercest battles of the Second World War.
The inauguration of the Imphal Peace Museum at Red Hill, about 20 km southwest of Manipur’s capital Imphal, marked the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Imphal.
Some 70,000 Japanese soldiers, alongside those of Subhash Chandra Bose’s Indian National Army, died in battles with the British-led Allied forces in areas around Imphal and Kohima from March to June 1944. The last of these battles was fought at Red Hill, where the Japanese War Memorial was built in 1944 to mark the 50th anniversary of the battle.
“While Imphal Peace Museum is a living memory of the
tragic war, I sincerely hope that it will be a bridge to connect the past and
the future for a lasting peaceful world for all times to come,” said Yohei
Sasakawa, chairman of the Nippon Foundation that funded the museum. The
80-year-old Mr. Sasakawa recalled the suffering of war when he survived the
Tokyo air raid in March 1945. He said that worst sufferers of in the Battle of
Imphal were the local people who had little or nothing to do with the war.Importance
of Imphal Peace Museum
The
museum significies the reconciliation between Japan and Britain along with
Japan and India.
They serve as living memory of tragic war.
They made world to learn from the past monuments which is required for lasting
peaceful world.
History:
The
incident took place in the region around the city of Imphal from Marc Second
World War.
Japanese armies planned to invade In forces at Imphal.
The army forces were driven back into Burma.
Japan’s Burma Campaign around 70,000 Japanese soldiers.
They are led by Subash Chandra Bose with British led forces in the areas of
Imphal and Kohima.