Thames Television - The Life and Times of Lord Mountbatten (1969) Part 7 The March to Victory

Relieve the 20th Century through the eyes and words of Lord Mountbatten - a member of the Royal Family and one of Britain's most highly decorated naval officers. Here, Lord Mountbatten narrates his life story using a wealth of historical material from the archives of the world - including much from his own personal collection. This extraordinary 12 episode series spans 70 years of triumph, conflict and glory in the life of this remarkable man who rose to worldwide recognition as both statesman and military hero, yet was tragically assassinated in 1979. It is this tremendous sweep of international events and changes that has been recaptured in ths unique series. Unique because it is not only about, but with the man concerned. The production team, including Lord Mountbatten, revisited many of the locales in which his career was formed - Malta, Burma, Ceylon, Singapore, India. Excerpts have been incuded from many of those whose lives and duties infuenced those of Lord Mountbatten, or were influenced by him. They include the Duke of Windsor, Prince Philip, six former Prime Ministers, General Eisenhower and other key figures in world history.

Part 7: The March to Victory
March to September 1945.

The Fourteenth Army attempts to reach Rangoon before the onset of the monsoon, and arrives in early May. A victory parade and a naval review are held in June. A final amphibious operation is planned but again is thwarted by lack of equipment. Mountbatten has his first experience of the rising nationalism in SE Asia - the Burmese request the reinstatement of a Civil administration and he reluctantly complies. While the US forces in the Pacific advance slowly, Roosevelt dies (Mountbatten remembers him as a friend), and the Potsdam conference is held, at which Mountbatten's sphere of command is increased and he is told to prepare for the Japanese surrender after the atomic bomb. Meanwhile Churchill is voted out of office (rather to Mountbatten's disappointment) and Attlee takes over at the conference. The re-occupation of Singapore (and relief of the POWs) is delayed after the Japanese surrender until the formal ceremony in Tokyo; Mountbatten eventually takes the official surrender of Singapore on 12th September.