Kohima World War II Cemetery – Kohima – Nagaland – Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve ~ Tour Packages & Safari Bookings Official

Kohima War Cemetery, Kohima Hotels, Dzukou Valley, Hornbill Festival Nagaland

The period of 1939 to 1945 was one of the darkest moments in the history of mankind. It was during this period the world witnessed the Second World War – a state of ‘total war’ where the major participants threw their entire economic, industrial, and scientific capabilities behind the war effort, erasing the distinction between civilian and military resources. This war brought down the major super powers of the period into ashes. Japan was rocked with the mighty nuclear explosion of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and it was after the Second World War that the world realized the might of the Americans!

The World War II might have brought down the will of the Germans and Japanese to be the might of the World but it to be mentioned that all wars lead to destruction of devastating proportion. The World War II too led to the same fate and millions of people were killed around the world that included the soldiers of the Army who laid down their lives to bring peace to the World. The bodies of these brave soldiers were laid to rest across various cemeteries through the World and one of such is the Kohima War Cemetery that was built and is maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Located in the heart of the Capital city of Nagaland ~ Kohima, this cemetery has about 1420 burials mostly of Commonwealth soldiers who laid their lives during World War II.

The Battle of Kohima was the turning point of the Japanese U Go offensive into India in 1944 during the Second World War. The battle was fought in three stages from 4 April to 22 June 1944 around the town of Kohima in Nagaland. From 3 to 16 April, the Japanese attempted to capture Kohima ridge, a feature which dominated the road by which the besieged British and Indian troops of IV Corps at Imphal were supplied.The British and Indian reinforcements counter-attacked to drive the Japanese from the positions they had captured. The Japanese abandoned the ridge at this point but continued to block the Kohima–Imphal road. The British and Indian troops pursued the retreating Japanese and reopened the road. The battle ended on 22 June when British and Indian troops from Kohima and Imphal met at Milestone 109, ending the Siege of Imphal.

The Kohima War Cemetery is set in peaceful surroundings with well-manicured grassland. The cemetery is sited at the exact location where the battle was fought, and provides a panoramic view of the city of Kohima. Tall concrete structures engraved with the cross mark at its two ends. Between the two structures, along the sloping ground, a series of terraces of 3–5 metres in height have been created; these contain stone markers embedded with bronze plaques carrying the name of each Commonwealth soldier who died on the Kohima battlefield.

And truly mentioned in one of the quotes of the cemetery –

“WHEN YOU GO HOME… TELL THEM OF US AND SAY FOR YOUR TOMORROW WE GAVE OUR TODAY…”

Jungleideas welcomes you to India’s North East to Witness History and Relive the Memoirs of the ‘The Battle of Kohima and the Memoirs of World War II’ ~ the Kohima War Cemetery, Kohima, the State of Nagaland, Incredible India!