In March 1944, 90,000 Japanese troops massed on the Burma-India border, waiting for orders to move. Their target: the Indian city of Imphal, an important Allied logistic base. Ahead was the great Chindwin River, 600 meters wide in places, as well as a mountain range with many peaks over 2,000 meters. What lay out of sight was the overwhelming strength of the British Army and disease and starvation from a lack of reinforcements. Despite reservations within Army Headquarters, the operation moved forward.