Fall of Singapore- By Betsy Dang

Fall of Singapore:

• Fell to Japanese Army


• February 15th, 1942.


• One of the greatest defeats in the history of the British Army and worst defeat in WWII.


• Clearly illustrated way that Japan was to fight in the Far East.  Combination of speed and savagery that ended with use of atomic bomb on Hiroshima (1945).


• Demonstrated that Japanese Army was a force to be reckoned with through the defeat


• Ushered in three years of appalling treatment of Commonwealth POWs who were caught in Singapore


• Singapore considered vital part of British Empire


• Supposedly impregnable.


• Improvements to Singapore as British military base had only been completed at great cost in 1938.


• Singapore epitomized what British Empire was all about – strategically placed vital military base that protected Britain’s other Commonwealth possessions in Far East.


• Once Japanese expanded throughout region after Pearl Harbour (Dec. 1941), many in Britain felt that Singapore would become obvious target.


• British military command was confident that power they could call on there would render any Japanese attack useless.


• British troops stationed in Singapore were told that Japanese troops were poor fighters.  Alright against China, poor fighters themselves.


• Japanese onslaught through Malay Peninsula took everybody by surprise.


• Speed was the essence for the Japanese, never allowing British forces time to regroup.


• First time British forces came up against full-scale attack by Japanese.


• Any thoughts of Japanese fighting a conventional form of war shattered.


• British confidently predicted that Japanese would attack from the sea.


• All defences on Singapore pointed out to sea.


• Inconceivable to British military planners that the island could be attacked any other way – least of all, through the jungle and mangrove swamps of Malay Peninsula.


• As Japanese attacked through Peninsula, their troops were ordered to take no prisoners as they would slow up the Japanese advance.  “When you encounter the enemy after landing, think of yourself as an avenger coming face to face at last with his father’s murderer.  Here is a man whose death will lighten your heart”


• British military command in Singapore still fought by the “rule book”.


• Social life important in Singapore.


• Raffles Hotel and Singapore Club were important social centers frequented by officers.  An air of complacency had built in regarding how strong Singapore was – especially if they were attacked by the Japanese.  


• When the Japanese did land at Kota Bharu aerodrome in Malaya, Singapore’s governor, Sir Shenton Thomas allegedly said “Well, I suppose you’ll (the army) shove the little men off.”


• Attack on Singapore occurred almost at the same time as Pearl Harbour.


• December 9th, 1941:  RAF had nearly lost all of its front line aeroplanes after the Japanese had attacked RAF fields in Singapore.  


• Any hope for aerial support for the army was destroyed before the actual attack on Singapore had actually begun.


• December 8th, 1941:  both modern battleships “Prince of Wales” and battle cruiser “Repulse” were put out to sea and headed up north to Malay coast where the Japanese were landing.  


• December 10th: both ships sunk by repeated attacks from Japanese torpedo bombers.


• RAF could offer ships no protection as their planes had already been destroyed by the Japanese.  


• Loss of both ships had devastating impact on morale in Britain.  “I put the telephone down.  I was thankful to be alone.  In all the war I never received a more direct shock.” – Sir Winston Churchill


• Only army could stop the Japanese advance on Singapore.


• Army was lead by Lieutenant General Arthur Percival.

Fall of Singapore:

• Had 90,000 men there – British, Indian and Australian troops.  Many had never seen combat.


• Japanese advanced with 65,000 men lead by General Tomoyuki Yamashita.  Many of Japanese troops had fought in Manchurian/Chinese campaign and were battle-hardened.


• Battle of Jitra (December 11th& 12th,1941):  Percival’s men soundly beaten and from this battle, were in full retreat.


• Japanese attack based on speed, ferocity and surprise.  


• To speed advance on Singapore – used bicycles.


• Captured wounded Allied soldiers were killed where they lay


• Those who were not injured but surrendered were also murdered.  Some captured Australian troops were doused with petrol and burned to death.


• Locals who had helped the Allies were tortured before being murdered.


• Effectiveness demonstrated when they captured the capital of Malaya (Kuala Lumpur) on January 11th, 1942.


• All indications were that Japanese would attack Singapore across the Johor strait.  


• General Wavell, British Commander in the region was ordered to fight to save Singapore and not to surrender until there had been protracted fighting in an effort to save the city.


• January 31st, 1942:  British and Australian forces withdrew across the causeway that separated Singapore from Malaya.  Final stand.


• Percival spread men across 70 mile line – entire coastline.  


• Mistake – this spread men out too thinly for an attack.


• February 8th, 1942:  Japanese attacked across Johor Strait.  Many Allied soldiers were too far away to influence outcome of battle.


• 23,000 attacked Singapore.


• Percival kept many men away from the Japanese attack fearing that more Japanese would attack along the coastline.


• Percival blamed for failing to back up those troops caught up directly with fighting.


• Now accepted that this would not have changed final outcome, but instead, prolonged fighting.


• Japanese took 100,000 men in Singapore.  Many had just arrived and not fired a bullet.


• 9,000 of these men died building the Burma-Thailand railway.


• People of Singapore fared worse.  


• Many were of Chinese origin and slaughtered by Japanese.


• After war, Japan admitted 5,000 murdered.


• Chinese in Singapore estimates 50,000.


• Fall of Singapore = humiliation for British government.


• Japanese portrayed as useless soldiers only capable of fighting the militarily inferior Chinese.


• Assessment clearly rested uncomfortably with how the British Army had done in the peninsula.


• “The whole operation seems incredible: 550 miles in 55 days – forced back by a small Japanese army of only two divisions, riding stolen bicycles and without artillery support.” – Commander of Australian forces in Singapore