Nyorai kupfuurira kweiyi ndima - Mukati mousiku hwaDecember 7/8 1941, awa imwe pamberi peKurwiswa kwePearl Harbor, Humambo hweJapan hwakapinda muhondo nokupinda kweJapan muMalaya
. Maawa mana pashure pokurova Pearl Harbor, Hondo yeHong Kong yakatangwa; guta racho rakazviisa pasi paKrisimasi. Pana 15 January 1942, kurwisa kweJapan kwakawedzerwa sezvo mauto avo akapinda muBurma. Ipapo, pana February 15, Singapore yakawa. Mukati maFebruary, 70th Division yakatanga kudzokera kuEgypt. Pana 17 February murairo wakapiwa wokuti boka racho riendeswe kuIndia. Zuva rakatevera racho, Major-General George Symes akapiwa kutungamirira divi racho. Vakakwira ngarava paSuez, uye vakanga vabva Egipita chose chose pana 28 February. Boka racho, risina 16th Brigade, rakasvika muBombay musi wa 10 March. Nokupinda kweJapan muBritish Ceylon kwaitarisirwa, 16th Brigade yakatumirwa semasimba, ichisvika musi wa 15 Kurume. Rakaramba riripo kusvikira muna 1943, apo rakabatanazve neboka racho. Muna June 1942, 70th Division yakanga iri pedyo neRanchi; pamwe chete ne50th Indian Armored Brigade, yakaumba chikamu cheEastern Army reserve. Chikamu ichi chakaonekwa sechidzidzo chakanyatsodzidziswa uye pamwe chete ne23rd Indian Infantry Division yakaumba nzvimbo yekuchengetera maJapan kana kuti kuenderera mberi kuburikidza neArakan muBurma. PaRanchi, boka racho rakaitawo rovedzo yehondo yomudondo.