In Pictures

In Pictures: Northeast India recalls ‘Stalingrad of the East’

People in Nagaland state recall World War II battle between Japanese and British soldiers.

An Angami Naga boy Viketouzo Miachieo, 22, displays ammunition from World War II that he found a few years ago while cleaning the area beside his house in Kohima village, in the northeastern Indian st — Viketouzo Miachieo, a 22-year-old Angami Naga, displays ammunition from World War II that he found a few years ago while cleaning the area beside his house in Kohima village. Miachieo fitted the RG 1942 20mm cartridge, left, with a wooden carving on top to make it look like an unused shell. Between April and June 1944, Japanese and British forces fought across Kohima in a battle that has been chosen as Britain's greatest battle by the National Army Museum, along with their battle in neighboring Imphal region. [Yirmiyan Arthur/AP Photo]

Kuozeu Vizo remembers finding the sight of her village, burned and blackened during World War II, as spellbinding as a rice field, golden and ripe for harvest.

“I still wonder how they even knew which land belonged to whom when they started rebuilding the village,” said Vizo, 98, a member of the fiercely independent Angamis, a Naga tribe.

She and fellow Naga people in the northeastern Indian state of Nagaland commemorated the end of World War II ahead of the anniversary of Japan’s surrender on September 2.

In April 1944, 15,000 men from the 31st Division of Japan’s Imperial Army, commanded by Lieutenant General Kotoku Sato, arrived with the aim of taking over Kohima, a hill town that was also the British headquarters in the Naga Hills.

The face-off that ensued has been called “Stalingrad of the East” because it was a decisive turn in the war. Between April and June 1944, Japanese and Allied forces battled across Kohima and the villages around it.

The Kohima War Cemetery is the final resting place for more than 1,420 British Commonwealth soldiers and memorials for 917 Sikh soldiers who were cremated in accordance with their faith.

Kuou Kesiezie, 108, vividly remembers being a British army porter. One day she had hurried home after dropping off a load of supplies only to realise she still had an ammunition belt on her shoulder, she recalled with a chuckle.

A population that had never been exposed to life beyond the village saw tanks and fighter planes dropping bombs over their beloved land, but it was war and they had no choice, said Visakuolie Suokhrie, 83.

“They had to burn our village down to chase the Japanese out,” he said.

They returned home to total barrenness – there were no seeds even that they could plant – relying on the British for supplies to rebuild.

While many Nagas supported the Allied forces, others backed the Japanese in the hope that they would help the Nagas achieve independence from Britain.

BK Sachu, 86, recalled the kindness of a Japanese doctor who “could not watch children suffer, he would treat them. From him, I understood how good the Japanese were,” he said.

But Japanese troops were low on supplies – some say it hunger cost them the battle of Kohima. Anger toward the Japanese grew as the starved soldiers forcibly took what the villagers had.

“I was carrying a loaded basket with a chicken placed on top. Japanese soldiers just lifted the chicken and took it away without even saying anything,” Vizo said.

The war and soldiers are long gone. But reminders of the devastation remain. A small burial plot holds the remains of eight children who were killed in 1976 when a war-era bomb exploded where they played.

For the Naga, World War II was a conflict brought to their quiet lands by outsiders, and along with it, immeasurable loss.

“We really suffered during the war,” 101-year-old Vichuzo Rutsa said softly from his bed.

Angami Naga boys clear weed from the graves of 8 children, killed in 1976 when a World War II-era bomb exploded while they were playing, in Kohima village, the site of a bloody battle between the Japa — Angami Naga boys clear weeds from the graves of 8 children killed in 1976 when a World War II-era bomb exploded while they were playing in Kohima village. For the fiercely independent Nagas, World War II was a conflict brought to their quiet lands by outsiders, along with immeasurable loss. Wartime arms and ammunition are still being found in the region as reminders of the devastation. [Yirmiyan Arthur/AP Photo]

Kuozeu Vizo, a 98-year-old Angami Naga woman, recounts her memory of the bloody battle between the Japanese and British Commonwealth forces that took place in her village during the Second World War, — Kuozeu Vizo, a 98-year-old Angami Naga woman, recounts the bloody battle between Japanese and British forces that took place in her village during World War II, as her granddaughter sits nearby outside their home in Kohima. To Vizo, the sight of her village bombed and burned black was as spellbinding as a rice field, golden and ripe for harvest. "I still wonder how they even knew which land belonged to whom when they started rebuilding the village," Vizo said. [Yirmiyan Arthur/AP Photo]

A woman walks past a Medium Tank M3 Grant that was abandoned when it went down this hill and crashed against a tree while climbing the Kohima Ridge to support British troops of the 2nd Division on May — A woman walks past a Medium Tank M3 Grant that was abandoned when it went down this hill and crashed while climbing Kohima Ridge to support the British 2nd Division on May 6, 1944. In April 1944, 15,000 men from the 31st Division of Japan's Imperial Army commanded by General Sato arrived with the aim of taking over Kohima. The tank has been preserved in the exact position where it was abandoned. [Yirmiyan Arthur/AP Photo]

An Angami Naga man stands by a field growing "Rosolha," or ration rice, that was first provided by the British as ration after they bombed and burnt Kohima village during World War II in 1944, on the — An Angami Naga man stands by a field growing "Rosolha," or ration rice, that was first provided by the British as rations after they bombed and burned Kohima village during World War II. ''Rosolha'' was planted by Kohima villagers as they had no seeds to grow after their village was flattened out. [Yirmiyan Arthur/AP Photo]

Vichuzo Rutsa, a 101-year-old Angami Naga, shares his memories of the bloody battle between the Japanese and British Commonwealth forces that took place in his village during World War II, in Kohima v — Vichuzo Rutsa, a 101-year-old Angami Naga, shares his memories of war. [Yirmiyan Arthur/AP Photo]

Visakuolie Suokhrie, an 83-year-old Angami Naga, recounts his memories of the bloody battle between the Japanese and British Commonwealth forces that resulted in his village being bombed and burnt dur — Visakuolie Suokhrie, an 83-year-old Angami Naga, recounts his memories of the war. "They had to burn our village down to chase the Japanese out," he said. [Yirmiyan Arthur/AP Photo]

A Naga girl runs down a lane with a plaque planted by the British commemorating the Queens Own Cameron Highlanders, an infantry regiment of the British Army, in Kohima village, the site of a bloody WW — A Naga girl runs past a plaque installed by the British commemorating the Queens Own Cameron Highlanders, an infantry regiment of the British Army, in Kohima village. [Yirmiyan Arthur/AP Photo]

Kuou Kesiezie, a 108-year-old Angami Naga survivor of the Battle of Kohima fought between the Japanese and British Commonwealth forces in and around her village, smiles as she sits outside her daughte — Kuou Kesiezie, a 108-year-old Angami Naga survivor of the Battle of Kohima, worked as a British army porter during the war. [Yirmiyan Arthur/AP Photo]

Kekhrieselie Mepfuo, a 55-year-old Angami Naga, recalls the day in Feb. 18, 1976 when a war-time era bomb exploded killing eight of his friends, in Kohima, India, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2020. “I still thi — Kekhrieselie Mepfuo, a 55-year-old Angami Naga, recalls the day in February 18, 1976, when a war-time era bomb exploded, killing eight of his friends. "I still think about it. It is better not to because it hurts too much. But how can I forget?" said Mepfuo. [Yirmiyan Arthur/AP Photo]

A caretaker locks the door of a house that was one of the only houses standing after British aircrafts bombed and flattened the area in a bid to evacuate Japanese soldiers in World War II, in Kohima, — A caretaker locks the door of one of the only houses left standing after British aircraft bombed and flattened the area in a bid to expel Japanese soldiers in Kohima. [Yirmiyan Arthur/AP Photo]

Khriepra-u Rutsa, an 85-year-old Angami Naga woman, smiles as she speaks about her experiences as a young girl during the battle between the Japanese and British Commonwealth forces in her village in — Khriepra-u Rutsa, an 85-year-old Angami Naga woman, smiles as she speaks about her experiences as a young girl during the war. [Yirmiyan Arthur/AP Photo]

B.K. Sachu, an 86-year-old Angami Naga, recounts his memories of the World War II battle between the Japanese and British Commonwealth forces in his village, as he sits outside his house in Kohima vil — While many Nagas supported the Allied forces, others backed the Japanese in the hope that they would help the Nagas achieve the independence they sought from British colonial rule. [Yirmiyan Arthur/AP Photo]

Angami Naga girls walk past a World War II plaque on the Imphal-Kohima highway on the outskirts of Kohima, India, Friday, Aug. 14, 2020. Between April and June 1944, Japanese and British Commonwealth — Angami Naga girls walk past a World War II plaque on the Imphal-Kohima highway on the outskirts of Kohima. [Yirmiyan Arthur/AP Photo]

Monsoon clouds form a border over Kohima War Cemetery, green terraced lawns in center, and the area which was the main site of a bloody battle in 1944 between the Japanese and British Commonwealth f — Monsoon clouds over Kohima War Cemetery, green terraced lawns in centre, and the area which was the main site of a bloody battle in 1944. The cemetery is the final resting place of more than 1,420 Commonwealth servicemen of World War II. [Yirmiyan Arthur/AP Photo]