In the First World War, Indian soldiers were sent to Europe on the front lines, and even North Africa. The British Empire learned of the importance of the Indian armies, and were ready to use them in the Second World War in the same places. The Indian soldiers were sent all around the world, including North Africa, Europe, and even in Southeast Asia. In North Africa, they were hardened due to their fighting against Nazi General Erwin Rommel and his Afrika Korps. Indian soldiers were also used in Southeast Asia against the Japanese. Indian soldiers also fought against afghan soldiers in the Middle East, in areas such as Iraq and Egypt. The soldiers were the majority in Southeast Asia as there were not a lot of American or Anzac soldiers fighting in Burma against the Japanese. Their placement to these locations gave the Allied Forces both a strong ally and more …show more content…
It is important to take note and remember that when a country goes to war, it is not only infantry, but also supported by air and sea. An important aspect of the Indian military was the RNI, or the Royal Indian Navy. In the Second World War, they saw action around the globe including the Red Sea, the Indian and Atlantic Oceans, the Bay of Bengal and the Mediterranean, as well as in combined operations off the coasts of Sicily and Burma. In 1939, the RNI had only eight warships. But by 1945, it had 117 combat personnel over 30,000 personnel. Another important part of the Indian Military was the IAF, the Indian air force. They formed in 1933, but in grew in size through the world war. It was most prominent in Burma, where it supported the Long Range Penetration movements of the Chindits as discussed earlier. Many officers of the IAF also fought originally in the Royal Air Force, where they saw action guarding Britain during the bombardment and the Battle of Britain in 1939. Their expertise and high training was crucial for the training and success of the Indian Air Force pilots. In 1939, only one squadron was operational and all the training of the IAF was done in the United Kingdom. But by the end of the war, much like the infantry, the IAF grew in personnel and equipment, totaling over currently training or ready 22,000 officers and men. Infantry, Navy, and Air Force personnel fought on all 3 continents in the war,