Battle of Singapore Part of Pacific War (World War II) Lt Gen. Singapore The Pacific War was the part of World War II —and preceding conflicts—that took place in the Pacific Ocean, its islands and in East Asia, between World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Arthur Percival, led by a Japanese officer, walks under a flag of truce to negotiate the capitulation of Allied forces in Singapore, on February 15, 1942. Lieutenant General Arthur Ernest Percival CB, DSO and Bar, OBE, MC, OStJ, DL, (26 December 1887 A ceasefire (or truce) is a temporary stoppage of a War or any Armed conflict, where each side of the conflict agrees Events 590 - Khosrau II is crowned as king of Persia 1637 - Ferdinand III becomes Holy Roman Emperor Year 1942 ( MCMXLII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. It was the largest surrender of British-led forces in history. Date January 31 – February 15, 1942 Location Singapore, Straits Settlements Result Decisive Japanese Victory, Japanese occupation of Singapore Belligerents Malaya Command: III Corps 8th Division 18th Division Malay Regiment Straits Settlements Volunteer Force Twenty-Fifth Army Imperial Guards 5th Division 18th Division 3rd Air Division Imperial Navy Commanders Arthur Percival # Gordon Bennett Lewis Heath # M. Beckwith-Smith # Tomoyuki Yamashita Strength 85,000 36,000 Casualties and losses 2,000 killed 5,000 wounded 50,000 captured[1] 1,713 killed 2,772 wounded[2]

The Battle of Singapore was fought in the South-East Asian theatre of World War II when the Empire of Japan invaded the Allied stronghold of Singapore. Events 1504 - France cedes Naples to Aragon. 1606 - Gunpowder Plot: Guy Fawkes Events 590 - Khosrau II is crowned as king of Persia 1637 - Ferdinand III becomes Holy Roman Emperor Year 1942 ( MCMXLII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Straits Settlements were a collection of territories of the British East India Company in Southeast Asia, which were given collective administration in 1826 The Japanese occupation of Singapore was the period in the History of Singapore between 1942 and 1945 when Japanese forces occupied Singapore during The Malaya Command was a command of British Commonwealth forces formed in the 1920s for the coordination of the defences of Malaya and Singapore The British Indian Army III Corps was formed in Mesopotamia during the First World War. The 8th Division of the Australian Army was formed to serve in World War II, as part of the Second Australian Imperial Force, who were in turn part For the First World War unit see British 18th (Eastern Division. The Royal Malay Regiment ( Malay: Rejimen Askar Melayu DiRaja) is one of two Infantry Regiments in the Malaysian Army. The was an army of the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II, noted for its role in the Battle of Malaya and Battle of Singapore. The Japanese is an organization which is dedicated to protection of the Emperor of Japan and his family palaces and other imperial properties The was an Infantry division in the Imperial Japanese Army. Its call-sign was the. was an Infantry division in the Imperial Japanese Army. Its call sign was the. The was an army of the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II, noted for its role in the Battle of Malaya and Battle of Singapore. For Combined Fleet, please see that article For Carrier Striking Task Force, please see that article Lieutenant General Arthur Ernest Percival CB, DSO and Bar, OBE, MC, OStJ, DL, (26 December 1887 Surrender is when Soldiers, nations or other combatants stop fighting and become Prisoners of war, either as Lieutenant General Henry Gordon Bennett CB, CMG, DSO ( April 16, 1887 &ndash August 1, 1962) Lieutenant-General Sir Lewis Macclesfield Heath, KBE, CB, CIE, DSO, MC (born 1885 died 1954 was an officer in the Surrender is when Soldiers, nations or other combatants stop fighting and become Prisoners of war, either as Major-General Merton Beckwith-Smith DSO, MC, MA ( 11 July 1890 – 11 November 1942) was a Surrender is when Soldiers, nations or other combatants stop fighting and become Prisoners of war, either as General was a General of the Japanese Imperial Army during the World War II. The South-East Asian Theatre of World War II was the name given to the campaigns of the Pacific War in India, Thailand, World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The Empire of Japan ( {{unicode|Kyūjitai}}: ja 大日本帝國 Shinjitai: ja 大日本帝国 pronounced Dai Nippon Teikoku An invasion is a military offensive consisting of all or large parts of the Armed forces of one geopolitical entity aggressively entering territory The Allies of World War II were the countries officially opposed to the Axis powers during the Second World War. Singapore The fighting in Singapore lasted from February 7, 1942 to February 15, 1942. Events 457 - Leo I becomes emperor of the Byzantine Empire. 1074 - Battle of Montesarchio in which the Prince Year 1942 ( MCMXLII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 590 - Khosrau II is crowned as king of Persia 1637 - Ferdinand III becomes Holy Roman Emperor Year 1942 ( MCMXLII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

It resulted in the fall of Singapore—the major British military base in South East Asia—to the Japanese, and the largest surrender of British-led military personnel in history. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Surrender is when Soldiers, nations or other combatants stop fighting and become Prisoners of war, either as About 80,000 Indian, Australian and British troops became prisoners of war, joining 50,000 taken by the Japanese in the Malayan campaign. For usage see British rule in India British Raj ( rāj, lit "reign" in Hindustani) primarily refers to the British For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. The Battle of Malaya was a campaign fought by Allied and Japanese forces in Malaya, from December 8 1941 to January 31 Britain's then-Prime Minister Winston Churchill called the ignominious fall of Singapore to the Japanese the "worst disaster" and "largest capitulation" in British history. Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, KG, OM, CH, TD, FRS, PC, PC (Can ( 30 November 1874

The predominantly ethnic Chinese people of Singapore had long provided material support to China in its war with Japan. The term Chinese people may refer to any of the following A person who resides in and holds citizenship of the People's Republic of China (including Hong China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National The Second Sino-Japanese War ( July 7, 1937 to September 9, 1945) was a major war fought between the Republic of China and the This was one of the motivations for the Japanese invasion of Singapore and the later suffering and atrocities inflicted by the Japanese occupation. The Japanese occupation of Singapore was the period in the History of Singapore between 1942 and 1945 when Japanese forces occupied Singapore during

Background

Japan sought to invade Malaya because, like other nations in South-East Asia, it had valuable natural resources that could be employed in its Pacific War with the Allies. Singapore, which lay to the south, was connected to Malaya by the Johor-Singapore Causeway. The Japanese saw it as a port which could be used as a launchpad against other Allied interests in the area, and to consolidate the invaded territory. The Japanese also sought to eliminate the sources of philanthropy from Singapore that were supporting China in the Second Sino-Japanese War. The ethnic Han Chinese in Malaya and Singapore had through financial and economics means aided the Chinese defence against the Japanese, although the effort suffered from factionalism, as the aid was split between the opposing sides of the ongoing Chinese Civil War. (The Xi'an Incident had supposedly united both the ruling Kuomintang party and the Communist Party of China against the Japanese. However, fighting between them was still common. The aid efforts procured funds and food for both humanitarian causes to relieve the Chinese civilian population, as well as support of the military forces of the Kuomintang and/or the Communist Party of China. Such aid had contributed to the stalling of the Japanese advance in China. Tan Kah Kee was a prominent philanthropist within the Singaporean Chinese community, and was a major financial contributor, with many relief efforts organized in his name. Aid to China from the population of Singapore in its several forms became part of Imperial Japan's casus belli motivation to attack Singapore through Malaya.

Invasion of Malaya

Main article: Battle of Malaya

This article is part of the History of Singapore series
Early history of Singapore (pre-1819)
Founding of modern Singapore (1819–1826)
Straits Settlements (1826–1867)
Crown colony (1867–1942)
Battle of Singapore (1942)
Japanese Occupation (1942–1945)
Sook Ching massacre (1942–1945)
Post-war period (1945–1955)
First Legislative Council (1948–1951)
Maria Hertogh riots(1950)
Second Legislative Council (1951–1955) Anti-National Service Riots (1954)
Internal self-government (1955–1962)
Hock Lee bus riots (1955)
Chinese middle schools riots (1956)
Merger with Malaysia (1962–1965)
Merger referendum, 1962
Operation Coldstore (1963)
Race Riots of 1964
MacDonald House bombing (1965)
Republic of Singapore (1965–present)
1969 Race Riots of Singapore (1969)
Operation Spectrum (1987)
East Asian financial crisis (1997)
Embassies attack plot (2001)
See also: Timeline of Singaporean history
[edit this box]

The Japanese Twenty-Fifth Army invaded Malaya from Indochina, moving into northern Malaya and Thailand by amphibious assault on December 8, 1941. The Battle of Malaya was a campaign fought by Allied and Japanese forces in Malaya, from December 8 1941 to January 31 Singapore rose in importance during the 14th century under the rule of Srivijayan prince Parameswara and became an important port until it was destroyed by Portuguese raiders in 1613 The early history of Singapore refers to the History of Singapore before 1819 when the British established a trading settlement on the island and set in motion the history of The founding of modern Singapore in 1819 by Sir Stamford Raffles paved the way for Singapore to become a modern Port and established its status as Singapore in the Straits Settlements refers to a period in the History of Singapore from 1826 to 1942, during which Singapore was part of the Singapore in the Straits Settlements refers to a period in the History of Singapore from 1826 to 1942, during which Singapore was part of the The Japanese occupation of Singapore was the period in the History of Singapore between 1942 and 1945 when Japanese forces occupied Singapore during The Sook Ching massacre (肅清大屠殺 was a systematic Extermination of perceived hostile elements among the Chinese in Singapore by the Japanese military Post-war Singapore refers to a period in the History of Singapore from 1945 when the Empire of Japan surrendered to the Allies at the end of Singapore rose in importance during the 14th century under the rule of Srivijayan prince Parameswara and became an important port until it was destroyed by Portuguese raiders in 1613 The Maria Hertogh riots or Natrah riots, which started on 11 December, 1950 in Singapore, consisted of outraged Muslims who resented Singapore rose in importance during the 14th century under the rule of Srivijayan prince Parameswara and became an important port until it was destroyed by Portuguese raiders in 1613 1954 National Service Riots or Anti-National Service Riots is a riot in Singapore that occurred in 1954 due to the Communist influence The self-governance of Singapore was carried out in several stages The Hock Lee bus riots occurred on May 12 1955, in Singapore. The Chinese middle schools riots were a series of Riots that broke out in the Singaporean Chinese community in Singapore in 1956, resulting On 16 September 1963, Singapore joined the Federation of Malaya together with Sabah and Sarawak to form Malaysia The Singapore national referendum of 1962, or also commonly referred to as the Merger Referendum of Singapore was the first and only Referendum to Operation Coldstore (sometimes spelled Operation Cold Store) was a security operation conducted by the Government of Singapore in February 1963 in which The 1964 Race Riots were a series of Riots that took place in Singapore during two separate periods in July and September between Chinese and Malay The MacDonald House bombing occurred on 10 March, 1965, at the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank building (now known as MacDonald House) along The history of the Republic of Singapore began when Singapore gained its Independence and became a Republic following a Secession from the The 1969 race riots of Singapore were the only riots encountered in post-independence Operation Spectrum was launched on May 21 1987 by Singapore 's Internal Security Department (ISD using its Internal Security Act (ISA The Asian Financial Crisis was a period of Financial crisis that gripped much of Asia beginning in July 1997 and raised fears of a worldwide economic meltdown ( The Singapore embassies attack plot was a plan in 2001 by the Al-Qaeda -affiliated Jemaah Islamiyah (JI to Bomb the Diplomatic missions and attack This is a Timeline of the history of Singapore. For more detailed annual listings see List of years in Singapore. The was an army of the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II, noted for its role in the Battle of Malaya and Battle of Singapore. British Malaya loosely described a set of states on the Malay Peninsula that were colonized by the British from the 18th and the 19th until the 20th century First French interventions See also France-Vietnam relations France-Vietnam relations started as early as the 17th century with the mission of the Jesuit The Kingdom of Thailand (ˈtaɪlænd ราชอาณาจักรไทย, râːtɕʰa-ʔaːnaːtɕɑ̀k-tʰɑj Events 1609 - Biblioteca Ambrosiana opens its reading room the second public library of Europe. Year 1941 ( MCMXLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (the link will display 1941 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. This was virtually simultaneous with the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, which was meant to deter the United States from intervening in Southeast Asia. The attack on Pearl Harbor (or Hawaii Operation, as it was called by the Imperial General Headquarters) was a surprise Military strike conducted by The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Japanese troops in Thailand coerced the Thai government to let the Japanese use Thai military bases for the invasion of other nations in Southeast Asia and then proceeded overland across the Thai-Malayan border to attack Malaya. The history of Thailand from 1932 to 1973 was dominated by Military dictatorships which were in power for much of the period At this time, the Japanese began conducting strategic bombing of sites all over Singapore, and air raids were conducted on Singapore from this point onwards, although anti-aircraft fire kept most of the Japanese bombers from totally devastating the island as long as ammunition was available. The first air raid on Singapore was an attack on 8 December 1941 by seventeen bombers of the Imperial Japanese Navy, flying from in Saigon in southern Vietnam Anti-aircraft warfare, or air defense, is any method of engaging hostile military Aircraft in defence of ground objectives, ground or naval forces

The Japanese Army was resisted in northern Malaya by III Corps of the Indian Army and several British Army battalions. The British Indian Army III Corps was formed in Mesopotamia during the First World War. See Indian Army for the post-independence (and post- partition) army of the Republic of India. The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. Although the 25th Army was outnumbered by Allied forces in Malaya and Singapore, Japanese commanders concentrated their forces. The Japanese were superior in close air support, armour, coordination, tactics and experience. In Military tactics, close air support ( CAS) is defined as air action by fixed or rotary winged aircraft against hostile targets that are in close proximity to A tank is a tracked, Armoured fighting vehicle designed for Front-line combat which combines Operational mobility and tactical Military tactics ( Greek: Taktikē, the art of organizing an army are the techniques for using weapons or military units in combination for engaging and defeating The Imperial Japanese Army Air Force was more numerous, and better trained than the second hand assortment of untrained pilots and inferior allied equipment remaining in Malaya, Borneo and Singapore. The (IJAAF was the land-based Aviation force of the Imperial Japanese Army. Their superior fighters, especially the Mitsubishi A6M Zero, helped the Japanese to gain air superiority. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout Air superiority is the dominance in the Air power of one side's air forces over the other side's during a Military campaign. The Allies had no armored vehicles such as tanks, which put them at a severe disadvantage.

The battleships HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse and four destroyers (Force Z) reached Malaya before the Japanese began their air assaults. A battleship is a large heavily armored Warship with a main battery consisting of the largest Calibre of Guns Battleships were Naming The Admiralty ordered construction of two new ''King George V''-class Battleships on 29 July 1936 (the other became HMS ''King George V'') Service in World War I Repulse first saw action on 17 November 1917 at the Second Battle of Heligoland Bight. In naval terminology a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance Warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, Convoy This force was thought to be "unsinkable" and a deterrent to the Japanese. Japanese aircraft sank the capital ships, leaving the east coast of Malaya exposed and allowing the Japanese to continue their amphibious landings. The Sinking of Prince of Wales and Repulse was a World War II naval engagement which illustrated the effectiveness of aerial attacks

View of the blown up causeway, with the visible gap in the middle, delaying Japanese landfall for over a week to February 8. Events 421 - Constantius III becomes co- Emperor of the Western Roman Empire.

Japanese forces quickly isolated, surrounded, and forced the surrender of Indian units defending the coast. They advanced down the Malayan peninsula overwhelming the defences, despite numerical inferiority. The Japanese also used bicycle infantry and light tanks, which allowed swift movement of their forces through the jungle. Bicycle infantry are Infantry Soldiers who maneuver on the battlefield using Bicycles The term dates from the late 19th century when the " Safety Tank classification is a Taxonomy of identifying either the intended role or weight class of Tanks The classification by role was used primarily during Jungle usually refers to a dense Forest in a hot climate such as a Tropical rainforest.

Although more Allied units, including some from the Australian 8th Division, joined the campaign, the Japanese prevented the Allied forces from regrouping, overran cities, and advanced towards Singapore. The 8th Division of the Australian Army was formed to serve in World War II, as part of the Second Australian Imperial Force, who were in turn part The city was an anchor for the operations of the American-British-Dutch-Australian Command (ABDACOM), the first Allied joint command of World War II. The American-British-Dutch-Australian (ABDA Command, code name ABDACOM, was a short-lived supreme command for all Allied forces in South East Asia, in In general allies are people groups or nations that have joined together in an association for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including

On January 31 the last Allied forces left Malaya and Allied engineers blew up the causeway linking Johore and Singapore. Events 1504 - France cedes Naples to Aragon. 1606 - Gunpowder Plot: Guy Fawkes The Johor-Singapore Causeway (Tambak Johor is a 1056-metre Causeway that links the city of Johor Bahru in Malaysia across the Straits of Johor Johor (alt English spelling Johore, Jawi scriptجوهر is a state of Malaysia between 1°20"N and 2°35"N Japanese infiltrators—many disguised as Singaporean civilians—crossed the Straits of Johor in inflatable boats soon afterwards. The Straits of Johor (also known as the Tebrau Strait, Johor Strait, Selat Johor, Selat Tebrau, and Tebrau Reach) is a Strait

Preparations

Singapore in early February 1942; the disposition of Allied ground forces is in red. The main north-south transport corridor, formed by Woodlands Road and the railway, connecting the city centre (in the south east) and The Causeway (central north), is the black line running through the centre of the island. The Johor-Singapore Causeway (Tambak Johor is a 1056-metre Causeway that links the city of Johor Bahru in Malaysia across the Straits of Johor Sarimbun is at the north west corner of the island; Bukit Timah is located close to the centre on the transport corridor; Pasir Panjang is between the city centre and the south west corner of the island and; the "Jurong Line" is the bracket-like shape in red, just west of Woodlands Road. Sarimbun is an area located in the north-western part of Singapore, close to the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF Live Firing Area Bukit Timah is a Hill in Singapore which stands at an altitude of 164 metres and is the highest point in the City-state of Singapore Pasir Panjang is an area in the south-western part of Singapore.

The Allied commander, Lieutenant-General Arthur Percival had 85,000 soldiers, the equivalent, on paper, of just over four divisions. Lieutenant General Arthur Ernest Percival CB, DSO and Bar, OBE, MC, OStJ, DL, (26 December 1887 A division is a large Military unit or formation usually consisting of around ten to thirty thousand soldiers There were about 70,000 front-line troops in 38 infantry battalions—17 Indian, 13 British, six Australian and two Malayan—and three machine-gun battalions. India has several socio-political historical and geographical meanings The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. British Malaya loosely described a set of states on the Malay Peninsula that were colonized by the British from the 18th and the 19th until the 20th century The newly-arrived British 18th Infantry Division under Major-General Merton Beckwith-Smith was at full strength, but lacked experience and appropriate training; most of the other units were under strength as a result of the mainland campaign. For the First World War unit see British 18th (Eastern Division. Major-General Merton Beckwith-Smith DSO, MC, MA ( 11 July 1890 – 11 November 1942) was a The local battalions had no experience and in some cases no training. ^[3]

Percival gave Major-General Gordon Bennett's two brigades from the Australian 8th Division responsibility for the western side of Singapore, including the prime invasion points in the north-west of the island. Major General or Major-General is a Military rank used in many countries Lieutenant General Henry Gordon Bennett CB, CMG, DSO ( April 16, 1887 &ndash August 1, 1962) The 8th Division of the Australian Army was formed to serve in World War II, as part of the Second Australian Imperial Force, who were in turn part This was mostly mangrove swamp and jungle, broken by rivers and creeks. Mangroves (generally are Trees and Shrubs that grow in saline coastal habitats in the Tropics and Subtropics. In the heart of the "Western Area" was RAF Tengah, Singapore's largest airfield at the time. The Australian 22nd Brigade was assigned a 10 mile (16  km) wide sector in the west, and the 27th Brigade had responsibility for a 4,000 yard (3,650 m) zone just west of the Causeway. The infantry positions were reinforced by the recently-arrived Australian 2/4th Machine-Gun Battalion. Also under Bennett's command was the 44th Indian Brigade. The Indian 17th Infantry Division was a formation of the British Indian Army raised during World War II.

The Indian III Corps under Lieutenant-General Sir Lewis Heath, including the Indian 11th Infantry Division, (Major-General B. W. Key), the British 18th Division and the 15th Indian Brigade, was assigned the north-eastern sector, known as the "Northern Area". The British Indian Army III Corps was formed in Mesopotamia during the First World War. Lieutenant General is a Military rank used in many countries The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the Lieutenant-General Sir Lewis Macclesfield Heath, KBE, CB, CIE, DSO, MC (born 1885 died 1954 was an officer in the Lieutenant-General Berthold Wells 'Billy' Key, CB, DSO, MC, ADC, (19 December 1895 - 26 September 1986 was a British Indian This included the naval base at Sembawang. Etymology The earliest reference to Sembawang is found in Franklin and Jackson's 1830 ''Map of Singapore'', which refers to the River Tambuwang The "Southern Area", including the main urban areas in the south-east, was commanded by Major-General Frank Keith Simmons. His forces comprised about 18 battalions, including the Malayan 1st Infantry Brigade, the Straits Settlements Volunteer Force Brigade and Indian 12th Infantry Brigade. The Royal Malay Regiment ( Malay: Rejimen Askar Melayu DiRaja) is one of two Infantry Regiments in the Malaysian Army.

From aerial reconnaissance, scouts, infiltrators and high ground across the straits such as the Sultan of Johore's palace, the Japanese commander, General Tomoyuki Yamashita and his staff gained excellent knowledge of the Allied positions. This article concerns the sultan of Johor For the sultanate see Sultanate of Johor. General was a General of the Japanese Imperial Army during the World War II. From February 3 the Allies were shelled by Japanese artillery. Events 1112 - Ramon Berenguer III of Barcelona and Douce I of Provence marry uniting the fortunes of those two states

One of Singapore's 15 inch coastal defence guns elevated for firing.

Japanese air attacks on Singapore intensified over the next five days. Air and artillery bombardment intensified, severely disrupting communications between Allied units and their commanders and affecting preparations for the defence of the island.

Singapore's famous large-calibre coastal guns—which included one battery of three 15-inch (381 mm) guns and one with two 15-inch (381 mm) guns—were supplied mostly with armour-piercing (AP) shells and few high explosive (HE) shells. Coastal artillery is the branch of Armed forces concerned with operating anti-ship Artillery or fixed gun batteries in coastal Fortifications. An armor-piercing shell is a type of Ammunition designed to penetrate Armor. An explosive material is a material that either is chemically or otherwise Energetically unstable or produces a sudden expansion of the material usually accompanied AP shells were designed to penetrate the hulls of warships and were ineffective against infantry, rendering the guns relatively ineffective. It is commonly said that the guns could not fire on the Japanese forces because they faced south, but this is not so. Although placed to defend against enemy ships instead of the straits, most of the guns could turn northwards and they did fire at the invaders. Military analysts later estimated that if the guns had been well supplied with HE shells the Japanese attackers would have suffered heavy casualties, but the invasion would not have been prevented.

Yamashita had just over 30,000 men, from three divisions: the Imperial Guards Division under Lieutenant-General Takuma Nishimura, the 5th Division under Lieutenant-General Takuro Matsui and the 18th Division under Lieutenant-General Renya Mutaguchi. The Japanese is an organization which is dedicated to protection of the Emperor of Japan and his family palaces and other imperial properties was a general in the Imperial Japanese Army in World War II. He was later tried by the Allies for War crimes and was executed. The was an Infantry division in the Imperial Japanese Army. Its call-sign was the. was an Infantry division in the Imperial Japanese Army. Its call sign was the. was a Japanese military officer Lieutenant general in the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II. The elite Imperial Guards units included a light tank brigade.

The Japanese landings

The Japanese landings on Singapore Island.

Main article: Battle of Sarimbun Beach

Blowing up the causeway had delayed the Japanese attack for over a week. The Battle of Sarimbun Beach was the first stage of the Japanese assault on Singapore in February 1942, during World War II. At 8. 30pm on February 8, Australian machine gunners opened fire on vessels carrying a first wave of 4,000 troops from the 5th and 18th Divisions towards Singapore island. Events 421 - Constantius III becomes co- Emperor of the Western Roman Empire. The Japanese assaulted Sarimbun Beach, in the sector controlled by the Australian 22nd Brigade under Brigadier Harold Taylor. The Battle of Sarimbun Beach was the first stage of the Japanese assault on Singapore in February 1942, during World War II.

Fierce fighting raged all day, but eventually the increasing Japanese numbers—and the superiority of their artillery, aircraft and military intelligence—began to take their toll. In the northwest of the island they exploited gaps in the thinly spread Allied lines such as rivers and creeks. By midnight the two Australian brigades had lost communications with each other and the 22nd Brigade was forced to retreat. At 1am further Japanese troops were landed in the northwest of the island and the last Australian reserves went in. Towards dawn on February 9 elements of the 22nd Brigade were overrun or surrounded, and the 2/18th Australian Infantry Battalion had lost more than half of its personnel. Events 474 - Zeno crowned as co-emperor of the Byzantine Empire. The 2/18th Infantry Battalion was part of the Australian 22nd Infantry Brigade Australian 8th Division during World War II.

Air War

Firefighters battle the results of a Japanese air raid on February 8, 1942. Firefighters are rescuers extensively trained primarily to put out hazardous Fires that threaten civilian populations and property to rescue people from car accidents collapsed Events 421 - Constantius III becomes co- Emperor of the Western Roman Empire. Year 1942 ( MCMXLII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

Malay civilians passing by a Hawker Hurricane fighter shot down on February 8, along East Coast Road. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout Events 421 - Constantius III becomes co- Emperor of the Western Roman Empire. East Coast Park Service Road ( Chinese: 东海岸公园副路 Malay: Jalan Perkhidmatan Taman Pantai Timur) is a road in Singapore that runs

Brewster Buffalo fighters based at Sembawang Airfield. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout

Air cover was provided by only one squadron, RAF 232 Squadron, based at Kallang airfield. This is a list of Royal Air Force aircraft squadrons. It includes Royal Flying Corps (RFC and Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS squadrons incorporated into the This was because Tengah, Seletar and Sembawang were in range of Japanese artillery at Johore Bahru. Johor Bahru, also spelled Johor Baharu, Johor Baru, ( "Baru" means "new" in Malay) or Johore Bahru and abbreviated Kallang Airfield was the only operational airstrip left—the remaining squadrons were withdrawn from Singapore by January. Singapore

This fighter force performed considerably well, but was outnumbered and often outmatched by the Japanese A6M Zero—it suffered severe losses, both in the air and on the ground during February. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout The only reliable aircraft left was the Hawker Hurricane, but only ten were left in Singapore when the Japanese invaded. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout

From December 8, Singapore was subject to aerial bombing by long-range Japanese aircraft, such as the Mitsubishi G3M ("Nell") and the Mitsubishi G4M ("Betty"), based in Japanese-occupied Indochina. Events 1609 - Biblioteca Ambrosiana opens its reading room the second public library of Europe. An airstrike is a Military strike by Air forces on either a suspected or a confirmed enemy ground position WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout Indochina, or the Indochinese Peninsula, is a region in Southeast Asia.

During December, 51 Hurricane Mk II fighters were sent in crates to Singapore, with 24 pilots, the nuclei of five squadrons. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout Singapore They arrived on 3 January, 1942, by which stage the Buffalo squadrons, had been overwhelmed. No. 232 Squadron was formed and No. 488 Squadron RNZAF, a Buffalo squadron, converted to Hurricanes. 488 Squadron was a squadron formed from New Zealanders trained under the Empire Air Training Scheme for service during the Second World War under the operational 232 Sqn became operational on 20 January and destroyed three Ki-43s that day,^[4] for the loss of three Hurricanes. However, like the Buffalos before them, the Hurricanes began to suffer severe losses in intense dogfights.

During the period January 27–January 30, another 48 Hurricanes (Mk IIA) arrived with No. Events 98 - Trajan becomes Roman Emperor after the death of Nerva. Events 1648 - Eighty Years' War: The Treaty of Münster is signed ending the conflict between the Netherlands and Spain 226 Group (four squadrons) on the aircraft carrier HMS Indomitable, from which they flew to airfields code-named P1 and P2, near Palembang, Sumatra in the Dutch East Indies. Construction and early history She was laid down by Vickers-Armstrong at Barrow-in-Furness, on 10 November 1937 as war loomed ever closer Palembang is a city of 1286000 in the south of the Indonesian island of Sumatra. Sumatra (also spelled Sumatera) is the sixth largest island in the world (approximately 470000 km² and is the largest island entirely in Indonesia (two See http//enwikipediaorg/wiki/WikipediaFootnotes for an explanation of how to generate footnotes using the tags and the template below The staggered arrival of the Hurricanes, along with inadequate early warning systems, meant that Japanese air raids were able to destroy a large proportion of the Hurricanes on the ground in Sumatra and Singapore.

On the morning of February 8, a number of aerial dogfights took place over Sarimbun Beach and other western areas. Events 421 - Constantius III becomes co- Emperor of the Western Roman Empire. A dogfight or dog fight is Aerial combat between Fighter aircraft. In the first encounter, the last ten Hurricanes of 232 Sqn were scrambled from Kallang Airfield to intercept a Japanese formation of about 84 planes, flying from Johore to provide air cover for their invasion force. In two sorties the Hurricanes shot down six Japanese planes for the loss of one of their own—they flew back to Kallang halfway through the battle, hurriedly re-fuelled, then returned to it. ^[5]

Air battles went on over the island for the rest of the day, and by nightfall it was clear that with the few machines Percival had left Kallang could no longer be used as a base. Lieutenant General Arthur Ernest Percival CB, DSO and Bar, OBE, MC, OStJ, DL, (26 December 1887 With Percival's assent the remaining Hurricanes were withdrawn to Palembang, Sumatra, and Kallang became merely an advanced landing ground. Palembang is a city of 1286000 in the south of the Indonesian island of Sumatra. Sumatra (also spelled Sumatera) is the sixth largest island in the world (approximately 470000 km² and is the largest island entirely in Indonesia (two No allied aircraft were seen again over Singapore, and the Japanese had full control of the skies. ^[6]

The second day

Percival maintained a belief that further landings would occur in the northeast and did not reinforce the 22nd Brigade. During February 9 Japanese landings shifted to the southwest, where they encountered the Indian 44th Brigade. Events 474 - Zeno crowned as co-emperor of the Byzantine Empire. Allied units were forced to retreat further east. Bennett decided to form a secondary defensive line, known as the "Jurong Line", around Bulim, east of Tengah Airfield and just north of Jurong. Jurong is a Constituency and town of Singapore, located in the western part of the mainland in the West Region.

Brigadier Duncan Maxwell's Australian 27th Brigade, to the north, did not face Japanese assaults until the Imperial Guards landed at 10pm on February 9. Events 474 - Zeno crowned as co-emperor of the Byzantine Empire. This operation went very badly for the Japanese, who suffered severe casualties from Australian mortars and machine guns, and from burning oil which had been sluiced into the water. A mortar is a muzzle-loading Indirect fire weapon that fires shells at low velocities short ranges and high-arcing ballistic trajectories A sluice is a water channel that is controlled at its head by a gate A small number of Guards reached the shore and maintained a tenuous beachhead. Beachhead is a Military term used to describe the line created when a unit (by sea reaches a beach and begins to defend that area of beach while other reinforcements (it

Command and control problems caused further cracks in the Allied defence. Maxwell was aware that the 22nd Brigade was under increasing pressure, but was unable to contact Taylor and was wary of encirclement. Encirclement is a military term for the situation when a force or target is isolated and surrounded by enemy forces In spite of his brigade's success—and in contravention of orders from Bennett—Maxwell ordered it to withdraw from Kranji in the central north. Kranji is a suburb in northwestern Singapore, located about 22 Kilometres (15 Miles from the city centre. The Allies thereby lost control of the beaches adjoining the west side of The Causeway.

The Japanese breakthrough

Japanese forces at Bukit Timah. The Battle of Bukit Timah was a battle fought during World War II on 11 February 1942 in Singapore between the Allied forces

The opening at Kranji made it possible for Imperial Guards armoured units to land unopposed there. Tanks with flotation equipment attached were towed across the strait and advanced rapidly south, along Woodlands Road. Woodlands Road Metrolink station is a Manchester Metrolink station on the former Manchester Victoria to Bury railway line This allowed Yamashita to outflank the 22nd Brigade on the Jurong Line, as well as bypassing the Indian 11th Division at the naval base. However, the Imperial Guards failed to seize an opportunity to advance into the city centre itself.

On the evening of February 10, General Archibald Wavell ordered the transfer of all remaining Allied air force personnel to the Dutch East Indies. Events 1355 - The St Scholastica's Day riot breaks out in Oxford, England, leaving 63 scholars and perhaps 30 locals dead Field Marshal Archibald Percival Wavell 1st Earl Wavell GCB, GCSI, GCIE, CMG, MC, PC (5 May 1883 – 24 May See http//enwikipediaorg/wiki/WikipediaFootnotes for an explanation of how to generate footnotes using the tags and the template below By this time the last airfield at Kallang was so pitted with bomb craters that it was no longer usable.

On the evening of February 10, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, cabled Wavell, saying:

Wavell subsequently told Percival that the ground forces were to fight on to the end, and that there should not be a general surrender in Singapore.

On February 11, knowing that Japanese supplies were running perilously low, Yamashita decided to bluff and he called on Percival to "give up this meaningless and desperate resistance". Events 660 BC - Traditional founding date of Japan by Emperor Jimmu. By this stage the fighting strength of the 22nd Brigade—which had borne the brunt of the Japanese attacks—had been reduced to a few hundred men. The Japanese had captured the Bukit Timah area, including most of the allied ammunition and fuel and giving them control of the main water supplies. The Battle of Bukit Timah was a battle fought during World War II on 11 February 1942 in Singapore between the Allied forces

Malayan infantry in the Battle of Pasir Panjang. The Battle of Pasir Panjang was initiated upon the advancement of elite Imperial Japanese Army forces towards Pasir Panjang at Pasir Panjang Ridge on 13

The next day the allied lines stabilised around a small area in the south-east of the island and fought off determined Japanese assaults. Other units, including the Malayan 1st Infantry Brigade, had joined in. The 1st Malaya Infantry Brigade was formed in Singapore during the Second World War. A Malayan platoon, led by Lt Adnan bin Saidi, held the Japanese for two days at the Battle of Pasir Panjang. Adnan Bin Saidi, (1915 - 14 February 1942 was a Malayan soldier of the 1st Infantry Brigade which fought the Japanese in the Battle of Singapore. The Battle of Pasir Panjang was initiated upon the advancement of elite Imperial Japanese Army forces towards Pasir Panjang at Pasir Panjang Ridge on 13 His unit defended Bukit Chandu, an area which included a major allied ammunition store. Bukit Chandu (or Opium Hill) is an area in Singapore where the Battle of Bukit Chandu took placed on 14 February 1942 during Adnan was executed by the Japanese after his unit was overrun.

On February 13, with the Allies still losing ground, senior officers advised Percival to surrender in the interests of minimising civilian casualties. Events 1258 - Baghdad falls to the Mongols, and the Abbasid Caliphate is destroyed Percival refused, but unsuccessfully sought authority to surrender from his superiors.

That same day military police executed a convicted British traitor, Captain Patrick Heenan, who had been an Air Liaison Officer with the Indian Army. Patrick Stanley Vaughan Heenan ( 29 July 1910 &ndash 13 February 1942) was a Captain in the British Indian Army who was convicted ^[8] Japanese military intelligence had recruited Heenan before the war, and he had used a radio to assist them in targeting Allied airfields in northern Malaya. He had been arrested on December 10 and court-martialled in January. Events 1041 - Empress Zoe of Byzantium elevates her adoptive son to the throne of the Eastern Roman Empire as Michael V Heenan was shot at Keppel Harbour, on the south side of Singapore, and his body was thrown into the sea. Keppel Harbour ( is a stretch of water in Singapore between the mainland and the southern islands of Pulau Brani and Sentosa.

The following day the remaining Allied units fought on; civilian casualties mounted as one million people crowded into the area still held by the Allies, and bombing and artillery fire intensified. Civilian authorities began to fear that the water supply would give out.

Alexandra Hospital massacre

A plaque commemorating the massacre and expanding on the hospital's history after the war.

At about 1pm on February 14 Japanese soldiers approached the Alexandra Barracks Hospital. Events 842 - Charles the Bald and Louis the German swear the Oaths of Strasbourg in the French and German Alexandra Hospital ( Abbreviation: AH; Chinese: 亚历山大医院 is a 400-bed Hospital located in the south-western part of Singapore No resistance was offered by anyone in the building, but the Japanese attacked and killed the medical staff and some patients, including an allied corporal who was lying on an operating table. Corporal is a rank in use in some form by most militaries and also by some police forces or other uniformed organizations The following day about 200 male staff members and patients, many of them walking wounded, were ordered to walk about 400 metres to an industrial area. Anyone who fell on the way was bayoneted. A bayonet (from French baïonnette) is a Knife - Dagger - or spike-shaped Weapon designed to fit on or over the muzzle The men were forced into a series of small, badly ventilated rooms and were imprisoned overnight without water. Dehydration ( hypohydration) is the removal of Water ( hydro in ancient Greek) from an object Some died during the night as a result of their treatment. The remainder were bayoneted the following morning. ^[9]

The fall of Singapore

Lt Gen Yamashita (seated, centre) thumps the table with his fist to emphasize his terms — unconditional surrender. Lt Gen Percival sits between his officers, his clenched hand to his mouth.

Surrendering troops of the Suffolk Regiment held at gunpoint by Japanese infantry. The Suffolk Regiment was an Infantry Regiment of the line in the British Army with a history dating back to 1685

By the morning of Chinese New Year, February 15, the Japanese had broken through the last line of defence and the Allies were running out of food and some kinds of ammunition. Chinese New Year is the most important of the Traditional Chinese holidays. Events 590 - Khosrau II is crowned as king of Persia 1637 - Ferdinand III becomes Holy Roman Emperor The anti-aircraft guns had also run out of ammunition and were unable to repel any further Japanese air attacks which threatened to cause heavy casualties in the city centre.

At 9:30 a. m, Percival held a conference at Fort Canning with his senior commanders. Fort Canning ( Malay: Bukit Larangan Percival posed two alternatives. Either launch an immediate counter-attack to regain the reservoirs and the military food depots in the Bukit Timah region and drive the enemy's artillery off its commanding heights outside the town, or capitulate. Bukit Timah is a Hill in Singapore which stands at an altitude of 164 metres and is the highest point in the City-state of Singapore All present agreed that no counter-attack was possible. Percival opted for surrender.

A deputation was selected to go to the Japanese Headquarters. It consisted of a senior Staff Officer, the Colonial Secretary and an interpreter. They set off in a motor car bearing a Union Jack and a white flag of truce towards the enemy lines to discuss a cessation of hostilities. The Union Flag, also known as the Union Jack, is the national flag of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. They returned with orders that Percival himself proceed with Staff Officers to the Ford Motor Factory, where General Yamashita would lay down the terms of surrender. The Old Ford Motor Factory ( Chinese: 旧福特汽车工厂 is a historic building in Singapore, located along Upper Bukit Timah Road. A further requirement was that the Japanese Rising Sun Flag be hoisted over the tallest building in Singapore, the Cathay Building, as soon as possible to maximise the psychological impact of the official surrender. The is the Military flag of Japan. It had been used as the Ensign of the Imperial Japanese Navy and the War flag of the Imperial Japanese The Cathay Building ( Chinese: 国泰大厦 was opened in 1939 by Dato Loke Wan Tho as the headquarters for the British Malaya Broadcasting Corporation. Percival formally surrendered shortly after 5. 15pm.

The terms of the surrender included:

• The unconditional surrender of all military forces (Army, Navy and Air Force) in Singapore Area.
• Hostilities to cease at 8:30 p. m. that evening.
• All troops to remain in position until further orders.
• All weapons, military equipment, ships, planes and secret documents to be handed over intact.
• To prevent looting, etc. , during the temporary withdrawal of all armed forces in Singapore, a force of 100 British armed men to take over until relieved by the Japanese.

Earlier that day Percival had issued orders to destroy before 4 p. m. all secret and technical equipment, ciphers, codes, secret documents and heavy guns. Yamashita accepted his assurance that no ships or planes remained in Singapore. According to Tokyo's Domei News Agency Yamashita also accepted full responsibility for the lives of British and Australian troops, as well as British civilians remaining in Singapore. was the official News agency of the Empire of Japan History and Development Dōmei was the end result of years of efforts by Japanese journalists and business

Bennett, along with some of his staff officers, caused controversy when he handed command of the 8th Division to a brigadier and commandeered a small boat. ^[10] They eventually made their way back to Australia.

The Japanese Occupation of Singapore had begun. The Japanese occupation of Singapore was the period in the History of Singapore between 1942 and 1945 when Japanese forces occupied Singapore during The city was renamed Syonan-to (Japanese: 昭南島 Shōnan-tō, literally Light-of-the-South Island). is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities The Japanese sought vengeance against the Chinese and to eliminate anyone who held anti-Japanese sentiment. Han Chinese ( are an Ethnic group native to China and by most modern definitions the largest single Ethnic group in the world. Anti-Japanese sentiment involves Hatred, grievance distrust Dehumanization, Intimidation, Fear, Hostility, and/or general dislike The Imperial authorities were suspicious of the Chinese because of the Second Sino-Japanese War, and killed many in the Sook Ching Massacre. The Sook Ching massacre (肅清大屠殺 was a systematic Extermination of perceived hostile elements among the Chinese in Singapore by the Japanese military The other races of Singapore, such as the Malays and the Indians were not spared. Malays (Melayu are an Ethnic group of Austronesian peoples predominantly inhabiting the Malay Peninsula, the east coast of Sumatra, the coast A non-resident Indian (NRI is an Indian citizen who has migrated to another country a person of Indian origin who is born outside India or a person of The residents would suffer great hardships under Japanese rule over the following three and a half years.

Victorious Japanese troops marching through Fullerton Square. The Fullerton Hotel Singapore ( is a five-star Boutique hotel located near the mouth of the Singapore River, in the Downtown Core of Central

Many of the British and Australian soldiers taken prisoner remained in Singapore's Changi Prison. Changi Prison ( (Malay Penjara Changi is a Prison located in Changi in the eastern part of Singapore. Many soldiers, like Australian Trevor Tranter, would never return home. Thousands of others were shipped on prisoner transports known as "hell ships" to other parts of Asia, including Japan, to be used as forced labour on projects such as the Siam-Burma Death Railway and Sandakan airfield in North Borneo. The term hell ship mainly refers to the ships used by the Imperial Japanese Navy to transport Allied Prisoners of war (POWs out of the Philippines Unfree labour is a generic or collective term for those work relations especially in modern or early modern history in which people are employed against their will The Burma Railway, also known also as the Death Railway, the Thailand-Burma Railway and similar names is a 415 km (258 mile railway between The Sandakan Death Marches were a series of forced marches from Sandakan to Ranau which resulted in the deaths of more than 3600 Indonesian North Borneo was an independent state and British Protectorate under the sovereign British North Borneo Company from 1882-1946 and subsequently a Many of those aboard the ships perished.

The Japanese were highly successful in recruiting Indian soldiers taken prisoner. For usage see British rule in India British Raj ( rāj, lit "reign" in Hindustani) primarily refers to the British From a total of about 40,000 Indian personnel in Singapore in February 1942, about 30,000 joined the pro-Japanese "Indian National Army", which fought Allied forces in the Burma Campaign. The Indian National Army ( INA) or Azad Hind Fauj ( Hindi: आज़ाद हिन्द फ़ौज was an armed force formed by Indian nationalists The Burma Campaign in the South-East Asian Theatre of World War II was fought primarily between British Commonwealth, Chinese and United ^[11] Others became POW camp guards at Changi. However, many Indian Army personnel resisted recruitment and remained POWs. An unknown number were taken to Japanese-occupied areas in the South Pacific as forced labour. Many of them suffered severe hardships and brutality similar to that experienced by other prisoners of Japan during World War II. About 6,000 of them survived until they were liberated by Australian or U. S. forces, in 1943–45. ^[11]

After the Japanese surrender in 1945 Yamashita was tried by a US military commission for war crimes committed by Japanese personnel in the Philippines earlier that year, but not for crimes committed by his troops in Malaya or Singapore. The Japanese Instrument of Surrender was the written agreement that established the Armistice ending the Pacific War and with it World War II. War crimes are "violations of the laws or customs of war" including but not limited to "murder the ill-treatment or deportation of civilian residents of an occupied The Philippines ( Filipino: Pilipinas, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (fil ''Republika ng Pilipinas'' RP He was convicted and hanged in the Philippines on February 23, 1946. Events 1455 - Traditional date for the publication of the Gutenberg Bible, the first Western Book printed from Movable Year 1946 ( MCMXLVI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full 1946 calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

See also

• Battle of Malaya
• Greater East Asia War in the Pacific
• Pacific War
• British Malaya Command - Order of Battle
• British Far East Command

References

Footnotes

External links

• National Heritage Board, Battlefield Singapore
• Bicycle Blitzkrieg - The Japanese Conquest of Malaya and Singapore 1941-1942
• Royal Engineers Museum Royal Engineers and the Second World War - the Far East
• The diary of one British POW, Frederick George Pye of the Royal Engineers. Fred Pye was a POW for 3½ years, including time spent building the Burma Railway. He managed to save, write on and bury scraps of paper, and after the war compiled them into a readable form.
• Animated History of the Fall of Malaya and Singapore