 Nyorai mberi kweiyi ndima - Munguva yeHondo Yenyika II Humambo hweJapan hwakapinda muBurma, kutanga paMawlamyine muna January 1942. Hondo yeJapan, yaiva nevanhu 18 000 vachipesana ne7 000 vaidzivirira vokuBritain, yakakurumidza kubata Mawlamyine, ichimanikidza vokuBritain kudzokera shure vachiyambuka Salween vachienda kuMartaban. Musi waFebruary 10-11 maJapan akayambuka Salween uye maBritish akatiza, asina kugadzirira kukombwa. MaJapan akavharira Mugwagwa weBurma wakavakwa muna 1938 panguva yeHondo yeChipiri yeChina neJapan, ichimanikidza maBritish kutakura zvinhu zvechiuto kuenda kuChina mhiri kweEastern Himalayas The Hump. Mauto eAllied akanga achidzokera shure kunyanya echiChinese akamisa kufambira mberi kweJapan paRwizi Salween musi waMay 5, 1942. Pashure pokuparadza mabhiriji ose aiyambuka rwizi, vaChina vakatora nzvimbo dzokuzvidzivirira pamhenderekedzo yokumabvazuva nomurutivi rwemberi, panguva iyo kurwisana kwakasvika pakusagadzikana. 