After the 7th Indian Infantry Division had captured Pakokku, on 14 February, the Allied forces crossed the Irrawaddy River at Nyaung U, north of ancient Burmese capital of Pagan. The 7th Division's crossing was made on a wide front. Both the main attack at Nyaung U and a secondary crossing at Pagan (the former capital, and the site of many Buddhist temples) were initially disastrous. Pagan and Nyaungu were defended by two battalions of the Indian National Army's 4th Guerrilla Regiment, with one held in reserve. The 7th Indian Division suffered heavy losses as their assault boats broke down under machine-gun fire which swept the river. Eventually, support from tanks of the Gordon Highlanders firing across the river and massed artillery forced the defenders at Nyaungu to surrender. At Pagan, the defending troops, the INA's 9th Battalion took a heavy toll offering resistance to the (1/11th Sikh Regiment) before they withdrew to Mount Popa.