The Burma Star is a military campaign medal, instituted by the United Kingdom in May 1945 for award to subjects of the British Commonwealth who served in the Second World War, specifically in the Burma Campaign from 1941 to 1945. The Burma Campaign took place between 11 December 1941 and 2 September 1945, during which time Japanese forces invaded Burma and drove British forces back to the Indian border. Since the Japanese held superiority in the Pacific Ocean, the Allies were not in a position to strike back and regain a foothold in Burma until early in 1944. Total surrender of the Japanese came on 2 September 1945, following the dropping of atom bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.