on ▁Church ill ▁appointed ▁Admir al ▁Lord ▁Louis ▁Mount b atten ▁supre me ▁Al lied ▁commander ▁of ▁the ▁South ▁East ▁Asia ▁Command ▁( SE AC ). ▁The ▁American ▁General ▁Joseph ▁St il well ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁deput y ▁supre me ▁Al lied ▁commander . ▁On ▁ 1 5 ▁November , ▁Auch in le ck ▁handed ▁over ▁responsibility ▁for ▁the ▁conduct ▁of ▁operations ▁against ▁the ▁Japanese ▁in ▁the ▁theatre ▁to ▁Mount b atten . ▁ ▁The ▁initial ▁land ▁forces ▁oper ational ▁area ▁for ▁SE AC ▁included ▁India , ▁Bur ma , ▁British ▁C ey lon ▁and ▁Mal aya . ▁Oper ations ▁were ▁also ▁mounted ▁in ▁Japanese - occup ied ▁Sum atra , ▁Th ailand ▁and ▁French ▁Ind och ina ▁( V ietnam , ▁Camb odia , ▁and ▁La os ). ▁ ▁Initial ly ▁SE AC ▁commanded : ▁ ▁British ▁Eastern ▁Fle et ▁( based ▁in ▁C ey lon ) ▁ ▁British ▁ 1 1 th ▁Army ▁Group ▁( Common wealth ▁land ▁forces ; ▁H Q ▁in ▁New ▁Del hi ) ▁ ▁Air ▁H Q ▁India ▁( New ▁Del hi ) ▁ ▁China ▁Bur ma ▁India ▁Theater ▁( C BI ), ▁( all ▁US ▁forces ▁in ▁theatre ; ▁H Q ▁in ▁New ▁Del hi ). ▁ ▁In ▁October ▁ 1 9 4 4 , ▁C BI ▁was ▁split ▁into ▁US ▁Forces ▁China ▁Theater ▁( US F CT ) ▁and ▁India - B ur ma ▁Theater ▁( US FI B T ). ▁ ▁On ▁ 1 2 ▁November ▁ 1 9 4 4 ▁Ele vent h