The Fall of Singapore, 1942
The fall of Singapore to the Japanese Army on February 15, 1942 caused serious set back to the British war effort in World War II. The Japanese army combined speed and savagery to take over what the British considered a vital part of their empire: a military base that provided protection to Britain’s Commonwealth possession in the Far East. The island of Singapore is situated at the southern end of the Malay Peninsula and was often referred to as the impregnable fortress, the “Gibraltar in the Far East”. Though many anticipated after the Pearl Harbor incident that Singapore could become a possible target for the Japanese, the local British military commander was confident that any such attack could be rebutted.
The fall of Singapore to the Japanese Army on February 15, 1942 caused serious set back to the British war effort in World War II. The Japanese army combined speed and savagery to take over what the British considered a vital part of their empire: a military base that provided protection to Britain’s Commonwealth possession in the Far East. The island of Singapore is situated at the southern end of the Malay Peninsula and was often referred to as the impregnable fortress, the “Gibraltar in the Far East”. Though many anticipated after the Pearl Harbor incident that Singapore could become a possible target for the Japanese, the local British military commander was confident that any such attack could be rebutted.
The Japanese onslaught through the Malay Peninsula took everybody by surprise. Instead of coming from the sea, as the British military intelligence anticipated, the attackers came through the jungle and mangrove swamps. To prevent the British air force to provide any support to the army, the Japanese had attacked and destroyed nearly all of its enemies frontline aeroplanes even before the actual attack began on December 9, 1941. The very next day, on December 10, repeated attack from Japanese torpedo bombers sank one of the most powerful of British battleships, the “Prince of Wales” and the battle cruiser, “Repulse”. The incident had a devastating impact on British morale.
Only the army could stop the Japanese advance on Singapore. The army in the area was led by Lieutenant General Arthur Percival. He had 90,000 men there – British, Indian and Australian troops. The Japanese advanced with 65,000 men lead by General Tomoyuki Yamashita. At the Battle of Jitra in Malaya (December 11th and 12th 1941), Percival’s men were soundly beaten and from this battle were in full retreat. To speed their advance on Singapore, the Japanese used bicycles as one means of transport. Captured wounded Allied soldiers were killed where they lay. Those who were not injured but had surrendered were also murdered. The Japanese army successfully captured the capital of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, on January 11th 1942.
The Loss of the Philippines, 1942
The attack on the Philippines started on December 8, 1941 ten hours after the attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. As at Pearl Harbor, the American aircraft were entirely destroyed on the ground. Lacking air cover, the American Asiatic Fleet in the Philippines withdrew to Java on December 12, 1941.
The attack on the Philippines started on December 8, 1941 ten hours after the attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. As at Pearl Harbor, the American aircraft were entirely destroyed on the ground. Lacking air cover, the American Asiatic Fleet in the Philippines withdrew to Java on December 12, 1941.
Japanese troops landed at the Lingayen Gulf on December 22, 1941 and advanced across central Luzon towards Manila. On the advice of President Quezon, General MacArthur declared Manila an open city on December 25, 1941 and removed the Commonwealth government to Corregidor. The Japanese occupied Manila on January 2, 1942.
MacArthur concentrated his troops on the Bataan peninsula to await the relief of reinforcements from the United States that, after the destruction at Pearl Harbor, could never come. The Japanese succeeded in penetrating Bataan’s first line of defense and, from Corregidor, MacArthur had no alternative but to organize a slow and desperate retreat down the peninsula. President Quezon and Vice-President Osmena left Corregidor by submarine to form a government in exile in the United States. General MacArthur escaped Corregidor on the night of March 11, 1942 in PT-41 bound for Australia; 4,000 km away through Japanese controlled waters
The 76,000 starving and sick American and Filipino defenders in Bataan surrendered to the Japanese on April 9, 1942. The Japanese led their captives on a cruel and criminal Death March on which 7-10,000 died or were murdered before arriving at the internment camps ten days later.
The 13,000 survivors on Corregidor surrendered on May 6, 1942. For over three years and right to the day of Japan’s surrender, the Philippines were to suffer grievously under the depredations of military occupation
General MacArthur discharged ( honored) his promise to return to the Philippines on October 20, 1944. On January 9, 1945 the Americans landed unopposed at the Lingayen Gulf on Luzon and closed on Manila. The Japanese fought desperately, street by street, to hold the city. From February 3 to 23, its liberation took almost a month. When at last the fighting ended in the old Spanish citadel of Intramuros, Manila was in ruins.
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