Battle of Singapore Part of Pacific War (World War II) Lt Gen. 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. 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]

v • d • e Pacific campaigns 1940–42 French Indochina – Thailand – Malaya – Pearl Harbor – Hong Kong – Philippines – Guam – Wake – Dutch East Indies – New Guinea – Singapore – Australia – Indian Ocean – Doolittle Raid – Solomons – Coral Sea – Midway

v • d • e South-East Asian Theatre French Indochina 1940 – French-Thai War – Malaya – Thailand – Prince of Wales & Repulse – Dutch East Indies – Burma – Singapore – Andamans – Christmas I. – Cocos – Indian Ocean Raid – Air Raids 1944–45 – French Indochina 1945 – Malacca Strait

v • d • e Battle of Singapore Sarimbun Beach – Kranji – Bukit Timah – Pasir Panjang

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. The fighting in Singapore lasted from February 7, 1942 to February 15, 1942. For other uses, see Pacific War (disambiguation). ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... Image File history File links Singaporesurrender. ... Lieutenant-General Arthur Ernest Percival December 26, 1887 – January 31, 1966. ... == T.R.U.C.E == Teachers Resisting Unhealthy Childrens Entertainment. ... is the 46th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1942 (MCMXLII) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 31st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 46th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 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 to become a major turning point in the history of several nations, including that of the Japanese, who rampaged down the Malay Peninsula with the singular intent of occupying Singapore to gain greater control over her war-time resource gathering efforts, the British, with... The Malaya Command was a British Army World War II formation formed for the defence of Malaya and Singapore. ... Image File history File links British_Raj_Red_Ensign. ... The British Indian III Corps was the primary ground formation that took part in the Battle of Malaya in 1942. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... 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 of the Allies of World War II. The 8th Division was raised from regular army units and new, all-volunteer infantry brigades... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... The 18th (East Anglian) Infantry Division was a Division of the British Army in World War II , A duplicate of the 54th (East Anglian) Division . ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... The Royal Malay Regiment (Malay: Rejimen Askar Melayu DiRaja) is one of two infantry regiments in the Malaysian Army. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... The Straits Settlements Volunteer Force (SSVF) was a military reserve force in the Straits Settlements, while they were under British rule. ... The Japanese Twenty-Fifth Army was the Japanese force that invaded and conquered the British colony of Malaya in late 1941 and early 1942. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Japan_-_variant. ... The Japanese Imperial Guard (近衛師団 このえしだん Konoe Shidan) protects the Emperor, the Empress and Imperial Family, the Imperial Palaces and other imperial properties. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Japan_-_variant. ... The 5th Infantry Division ) was an infantry division in the Imperial Japanese Army. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Japan_-_variant. ... IJA 18th Division ) was an infantry division in the Imperial Japanese Army. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Japan_-_variant. ... The Japanese Twenty-Fifth Army was the Japanese force that invaded and conquered the British colony of Malaya in late 1941 and early 1942. ... Image File history File links Naval_Ensign_of_Japan. ... For Combined Fleet, please see that article. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... Lieutenant-General Arthur Ernest Percival December 26, 1887 – January 31, 1966. ... Balian of Ibelin surrendering the city of Jerusalem to Saladin, from Les Passages faits Outremer par les Français contre les Turcs et autres Sarrasins et Maures outremarins, ca. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Lieutenant-General Gordon Bennett Lieutenant-General Henry Gordon Bennett, CB, CMG, DSO (April 16, 1887 – August 1, 1962), Australian soldier, served in both World War I and World War II. Despite highly decorated achievements during World War I, including at Gallipoli, Bennett is best remembered for his role in the... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... Lieutenant-General Sir Lewis Macclesfield Heath, KBE, CB, CIE, DSO, MC (1885-1954) was a British Army officer and general during World War II. Having achieved some success as GOC 5th Indian Division during the East African Campaign, Heath was appointed to command III Indian Corps during the Battle of... Balian of Ibelin surrendering the city of Jerusalem to Saladin, from Les Passages faits Outremer par les Français contre les Turcs et autres Sarrasins et Maures outremarins, ca. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... Merton Beckwith-Smith, DSO, MC, MA, Croix de Guerre, (11 July 1890 - 11 November 1942), was a British Army officer during the First and Second World Wars . ... Balian of Ibelin surrendering the city of Jerusalem to Saladin, from Les Passages faits Outremer par les Français contre les Turcs et autres Sarrasins et Maures outremarins, ca. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Japan_-_variant. ... Tomoyuki Yamashita, 1945 General Tomoyuki Yamashita (山下 奉文 Yamashita Tomoyuki,) (November 8, 1885 – February 23, 1946) was a general of the Japanese Imperial Army during the World War II era. ... Combatants Empire of Japan Vichy France Commanders Akihito Nakamura Takuma Nishimura Maurice Martin Strength 34,000 men 2,000 men Casualties  ? 800 The Invasion of French Indochina ), also known as the Vietnam Expedition, the Japanese Invasion of Vietnam, was an attempt by the Empire of Japan, during the Second Sino... Combatants Malaya Command: Indian III Corps Australian 8th Div. ... This article is about the actual attack. ... Combatants British Army Canadian Army British Indian Army Royal Hong Kong Regiment Imperial Japanese Army Commanders Mark Aitchison Young Christopher Michael Maltby Sakai Takashi Strength 15,000 troops 50,000 troops Casualties 4,500 killed 8,500 POWs 706 killed 1,534 wounded Pacific campaigns 1941-42 Pearl Harbor – Thailand... Combatants Empire of Japan United States Commanders Shigeyoshi Inoue Sadamichi Kajioka Shigematsu Sakaibara Winfield S. Cunningham Strength 2,500 infantry[1] 523 infantry of the 1st Marine Defense Battalion {understrength}, VMF-211, US Navy/US Army personnel, Others[2] Casualties 700-900 dead, 2 destroyers, 2 patrol boats, 20 aircraft... The Netherlands East Indies campaign was the shortlived defence of the Netherlands East Indies by Allied forces, against invasion by the Empire of Japan in 1941-42. ... The New Guinea campaign was one of the major military campaigns of World War II. Fighting in the Australian mandated Territory of New Guinea (the north-eastern part of the island of New Guinea and surrounding islands) and Dutch New Guinea, between Allied and Japanese forces, commenced with the Japanese... It has been suggested that Japanese Raids into Indian Ocean be merged into this article or section. ... Combatants  United States  Japan Commanders James H. Doolittle Hideki Tojo Strength 16 B-25 Mitchells Unknown number of troops and homeland defense Casualties 3 dead, 8 POWs (4 died in captivity); 5 interned in USSR all 16 B-25s About 50 dead, 400 injured Lt. ... Combatants  United States  Australia New Guinea[1]  New Zealand  United Kingdom Colony of Fiji[2] Solomon Is. ... Combatants United States Navy Royal Australian Navy Imperial Japanese Navy Commanders Frank J. Fletcher John G. Crace Shigeyoshi Inoue Takeo Takagi Strength 2 large carriers, 3 cruisers 2 large carriers, 1 light carrier, 4 cruisers Casualties 1 fleet carrier, 1 destroyer, 1 oil tanker sunk 543 killed 1 light carrier... Belligerents United States Imperial Japanese Navy Commanders Chester W. Nimitz Frank J. Fletcher Raymond A. Spruance Isoroku Yamamoto Chuichi Nagumo Tamon Yamaguchi† Strength 3 carriers, ~50 support ships, 233 carrier aircraft, 127 land-based aircraft 4 carriers, 7 battleships, ~150 support ships, 264 carrier aircraft,[1] 16 floatplanes Casualties and... The South-East Asian Theatre of World War II was the name given to the campaigns of the Pacific War in India, Burma, Thailand, Malaya and Singapore. ... Combatants Empire of Japan Vichy France Commanders Akihito Nakamura Takuma Nishimura Maurice Martin Strength 34,000 men 2,000 men Casualties  ? 800 The Invasion of French Indochina ), also known as the Vietnam Expedition, the Japanese Invasion of Vietnam, was an attempt by the Empire of Japan, during the Second Sino... Combatants Vichy France Thailand Commanders Jean Decoux Plaek Phibunsongkhram Strength 50,000 men, 20 tanks, ~100 aircraft 60,000 men, 134 tanks, 140 aircraft, 18 vessels Casualties 321 KIA and WIA, 178 MIA, 222 captured, 22 aircraft 54 KIA, 307 WIA, 21 captured, 8-13 aircraft The French-Thai War... Combatants Malaya Command: Indian III Corps Australian 8th Div. ... Combatants Force Z of the Royal Navy Imperial Japanese Navy Commanders Sir Tom Phillips † John Leach † William Tennant Niichi Nakanishi Shichizo Miyauchi Strength 1 battleship 1 battlecruiser 4 destroyers 10 aircraft 88 aircraft (34 torpedo aircraft, 51 level bombers, 3 scouting aircraft) Casualties 1 battleship, 1 battlecruiser sunk, 840 killed... The Netherlands East Indies campaign was the shortlived defence of the Netherlands East Indies by Allied forces, against invasion by the Empire of Japan in 1941-42. ... Combatants United Kingdom British India Republic of China United States Empire of Japan Indian National Army Burma National Army Thailand Commanders Louis Mountbatten William Slim Chiang Kai-Shek Joseph Stilwell Aung San(From 1944) Masakazu Kawabe Hyotaro Kimura Renya Mutaguchi Subhash Chandra Bose Aung San(until 1944) Strength Unknown Unknown... The Andaman and Nicobar Islands (8,293 sq km on 139 islands), are a group of islands situated in the Bay of Bengal at about 780 miles from Kolkata, 740 miles from Chennai and 120 miles from Cape Nargis in Burma. ... The Pacific War conquest plan set out by the Empire of Japan for the South Sea lands concluded on March 31, 1942 with the attack on and occupation of Christmas Island. ... Cocos (Keeling) Islands The Cocos Islands Mutiny was one of many among British Commonwealth forces during the Second World War. ... It has been suggested that Japanese Raids into Indian Ocean be merged into this article or section. ... Combatants Empire of Japan France Strength 55,000 Casualties  ? 2,129 Europeans killed (military & civil) The Second French Indochina Campaign also known as the Japanese coup of March 1945, was a Japanese military operation in all Vietnam, then a French colony. ... Combatants United Kingdom Empire of Japan Commanders Arthur John Power Manley Laurence Power Shigeru Fukudome Shintaro Hashimoto† Kaju Sugiura† Strength 5 destroyers 1 cruiser 1 destroyer Casualties 1 destroyer damaged, 2 killed[1] 1 cruiser sunk, 1 destroyer damaged, 927 killed[2] The Battle of the Malacca Strait, sometimes called... The Battle of Sarimbun Beach or the Sarimbun Beach Battle was an assault of the Japanese army against Allied forces in Singapore in February 1942. ... Combatants 27th Brigade 44th Brigade Dalforce Imperial Guards Commanders Duncan Maxwell Takuma Nishimura Strength ~2,000[1] ~10,000[2] The Battle of Kranji was the second stage of the Japanese assault on the north-western front of Singapore on 9 February 1942, during World War II (WWII). ... Combatants Japanese 5th and 18th Divisions British 2nd Battalion Argyll & Sutherland Highlander, Dalforce (Overseas Chinese Anti-Japanese Volunteer Army), 22nd Australian Brigade, 44th Indian Brigade Commanders Ian MacAlister Stewart Angus MacDonald The Battle of Bukit Timah was a momentous battle fought during World War II on 11 February 1942 in... Combatants 18th “Chrysanthemum” Division, 56th Infantry Regiment Royal Malay Regiment, British 2nd Loyals Regiment, 5th Bttn. ... The South-East Asian Theatre of World War II was the name given to the campaigns of the Pacific War in India, Burma, Thailand, Malaya and Singapore. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... Anthem Kimi ga Yo Imperial Reign Capital Tokyo Government Constitutional monarchy Emperor  - 1868–1912 Emperor Meiji  - 1912–1926 Emperor Taishō  - 1926–1989 Emperor Shōwa Prime Minister  - 1885-1888, 1892-1896, 1898, 1900-1901 Itō Hirobumi  - 1888-1889 Kuroda Kiyotaka  - 1889-1891 Yamagata Aritomo  - 1906-1908, 1911-1912 Saionji Kinmochi... An invasion is a military action consisting of armed forces of one geopolitical entity entering territory controlled by another such entity, generally with the objective of conquering territory, or altering the established government. ... This article is about the independent states that comprised the Allies. ... is the 38th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1942 (MCMXLII) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 46th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 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. About 80,000 Indian, Australian and British troops became prisoners of war, joining 50,000 taken by the Japanese in the Malayan campaign. 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. Location of Southeast Asia Southeast Asia is a subregion of Asia. ... Balian of Ibelin surrendering the city of Jerusalem to Saladin, from Les Passages faits Outremer par les Français contre les Turcs et autres Sarrasins et Maures outremarins, ca. ... Geneva Convention definition A prisoner of war (POW) is a soldier, sailor, airman, or marine who is imprisoned by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict. ... Combatants Malaya Command: Indian III Corps Australian 8th Div. ... Churchill redirects here. ...

The predominantly ethnic Chinese people of Singapore had long provided material support to China in its war with Japan. This was one of the motivations for the Japanese invasion of Singapore and the later suffering and atrocities inflicted by the Japanese occupation. It is regarded as the worst defeat ever suffered by the British Empire forces since the Massacre of Elphinstone's Army in the First Afghan War in the mid 19th century. The term Chinese people may refer to any of the following: A person who resides in and holds citizenship of the Peoples Republic of China (including Hong Kong and Macau) or the Republic of China (Taiwan). ... Belligerents China United States1 Empire of Japan Collaborationist Chinese Army2 Commanders Chiang Kai-shek, Chen Cheng, Yan Xishan, Feng Yuxiang, Li Zongren, Xue Yue, Bai Chongxi, Peng Dehuai, Joseph Stilwell, Claire Chennault, Albert Wedemeyer Hirohito, Fumimaro Konoe, Hideki Tojo, Kotohito Kanin, Matsui Iwane, Hajime Sugiyama, Shunroku Hata, Toshizo Nishio... The Japanese Occupation of Singapore was to become a major turning point in the history of several nations, including that of the Japanese, who rampaged down the Malay Peninsula with the singular intent of occupying Singapore to gain greater control over her war-time resource gathering efforts, the British, with... Combatants Afghan tribesmen British Empire Commanders Akbar Khan William Elphinstone Strength unknown 4,500 regular troops, 12,000 civilian refugees Casualties unknown total annihilation The massacre of Elphinstones army was a victory of Afghan forces, led by Akbar Khan, the son of Dost Mohammad Khan, over a combined British... The First Anglo-Afghan War lasted from 1839 to 1842. ...

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. This was virtually simultaneous with the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, which was meant to deter the United States from intervening in Southeast Asia. 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. 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. Combatants Malaya Command: Indian III Corps Australian 8th Div. ... The history of Singapore began as early as the 3rd Century when a Chinese account described the island at the tip of the Malay peninsula. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Singapore. ... ... 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 a gateway between the Western and Eastern markets. ... 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 Straits Settlements together with Penang and Malacca. ... 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 Straits Settlements together with Penang and Malacca. ... The Japanese Occupation of Singapore was to become a major turning point in the history of several nations, including that of the Japanese, who rampaged down the Malay Peninsula with the singular intent of occupying Singapore to gain greater control over her war-time resource gathering efforts, the British, with... 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 during the Japanese Occupation of Singapore, after the British colony surrendered in the Battle of Singapore on 15 February 1942 during World War II. Sook Ching was later extended... 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 World War II, until 1955, when Singapore gained partial internal self-governance. ... The history of Singapore began as early as the 3rd Century when a Chinese account described the island at the tip of the Malay peninsula. ... Maria Hertogh and Che Aminah binte Mohamed The Maria Hertogh riots, which started on 11 December 1950 in Singapore, consisted of outraged Muslims who resented the court decision to give the custody of Maria Hertogh, then 13, to her biological Dutch Catholic parents after she had been raised as a... The history of Singapore began as early as the 3rd Century when a Chinese account described the island at the tip of the Malay peninsula. ... 1954 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. ... Rioters throwing stones at police 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 in 13 people killed and more than 100 injured. ... 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 date held in Singapore on September 1, 1962. ... In February 1963, the government of Singapore conducted a security operation, named Operation Coldstore (sometimes spelled Operation Cold Store), and arrested at least 107 left-wing politicians and trade unionists. ... The start of the July riot on Prophet Muhammads birthday, that would later injure hundreds and kill 23 people. ... MacDonald House bombing occured on 10 March 1965, at the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank building (known as MacDonald House) along Orchard Road, Singapore. ... Operation Spectrum was launched on May 21 1987 by Singapores Internal Security Department (ISD) using its Internal Security Act (ISA). ... The East Asian financial crisis was a period of economic unrest that started in July 1997 in Thailand and affected currencies, stock markets, and other asset prices in several Asian countries, many considered East Asian Tigers. ... The Singapore embassies attack plot was a plan by the Al-Qaeda-affiliated Jemaah Islamiyah to bomb the diplomatic missions and attack personnel of the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom, and Israel in Singapore and several other targets in Singapore. ... This is a brief timeline of the history of Singapore. ... The Japanese Twenty-Fifth Army was the Japanese force that invaded and conquered the British colony of Malaya in late 1941 and early 1942. ... British Malaya was a set of states that were colonized by the British from the 18th and the 19th until the 20th century. ... Flag Capital Hanoi Language(s) French Political structure Federation Historical era New Imperialism  - Addition of Laos 1893, 1887  - Vietnamese Declaration of Independence September 2, 1945  - Independence of Laos July 19, 1949  - Independence of Cambodia November 9, 1953  - Recognized Independence of Vietnam 1954, 1954 Area  - 1945 750,000 km² Currency French... Amphibious Assault began when 17-year-old, former Kittie guitarist, Fallon Bowman was on a plane from Ontario to New Jersey, skimming through a Tom Clancy novel when she came upon the term amphibious assault. ... is the 342nd day of the year (343rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see 1941 (disambiguation). ... This article is about the actual attack. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Combatants Singapore Imperial Japanese Navy Strength Anti-aircraft guns 1 battleship 1 battlecruiser 17 aircraft Casualties 61 killed 700 wounded The first air raid on Singapore was conducted by seventeen bombers of the Imperial Japanese Navy. ... “Flak” redirects here. ...

The Japanese Army was resisted in northern Malaya by III Corps of the Indian Army and several British Army battalions. 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. 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. Their superior fighters, especially the Mitsubishi A6M Zero, helped the Japanese to gain air superiority. The Allies had no armored vehicles such as tanks, which put them at a severe disadvantage. The British Indian III Corps was the primary ground formation that took part in the campaign in Malaya in 1942. ... A group of native Indian Muslim soldiers posing for volley firing orders. ... The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. ... An Apache attack helicopter provides close air support to United States Army soldiers patrolling the Tigris River southeast of Baghdad, Iraq during the Iraq War. ... This article is about the armoured fighting vehicle. ... Military tactics (Greek: Taktikē, the art of organizing an army) are the collective name for methods for engaging and defeating an enemy in battle. ... The Imperial Japanese Army Air Service was Imperial Japans land based aviation force. ... Mitsubishi A6M2 Zero Model 21 (cowling removed) The Mitsubishi A6M was a light-weight carrier-based fighter aircraft employed by the Imperial Japanese Navy from 1940 to 1945. ... Air superiority is the dominance in the air power of one side air forces of another side during a military campaign. ...

The battleships HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse and four destroyers (Force Z) reached Malaya before the Japanese began their air assaults. 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. For other uses, see Battleship (disambiguation). ... HMS Prince of Wales was a King George V-class battleship of the Royal Navy, built at the Cammell Laird shipyard in Birkenhead, England. ... HMS Repulse was a Renown-class battlecruiser, the second to last battlecruiser built for the Royal Navy. ... USS McFaul underway in the Atlantic Ocean. ... Combatants Force Z of the Royal Navy Imperial Japanese Navy Commanders Sir Tom Phillips † John Leach † William Tennant Niichi Nakanishi Shichizo Miyauchi Strength 1 battleship 1 battlecruiser 4 destroyers 10 aircraft 88 aircraft (34 torpedo aircraft, 51 level bombers, 3 scouting aircraft) Casualties 1 battleship, 1 battlecruiser sunk, 840 killed... Amphibious Assault began when 17-year-old, former Kittie guitarist, Fallon Bowman was on a plane from Ontario to New Jersey, skimming through a Tom Clancy novel when she came upon the term amphibious assault. ...

View of the blown up causeway, with the visible gap in the middle, delaying Japanese landfall for over a week to February 8.

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. This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... is the 39th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Bicycle infantry are infantry soldiers who maneuver on the battlefield using bicycles. ... The US M1A1 Abrams tank is a typical modern main battle tank. ... Box Log Falls, Lamington National Park, Queensland, Australia 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 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 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 of the Allies of World War II. The 8th Division was raised from regular army units and new, all-volunteer infantry brigades... ABDACOM Area 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 early 1942, during the Pacific War. ... Look up ally in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000...

On January 31 the last Allied forces left Malaya and Allied engineers blew up the causeway linking Johore and Singapore. Japanese infiltrators—many disguised as Singaporean civilians—crossed the Straits of Johor in inflatable boats soon afterwards. is the 31st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Johor Causeway is a 1,056-meter causeway that that links the city of Johor Bahru in Malaysia across the Straits of Johor to the town of Woodlands in Singapore. ... State Motto: the state moto as appeared on the coat of arms reads kepada Allah berserah which literally means all hopes is to God (Allah) Capital Johor Bahru Bandar DiRaja Bandar Maharani Sultan Iskandar Al-haj Chief minister Abdul Ghani Othman Area 19,984 km² Population 2. ... Geography The Straits of Johor (also known as the Tebrau Strait, Johor Strait, Selat Johor, Selat Tebrau, and Tebrau Reach) is a narrow stretch of water that separates Johor state, Malaysia from Singapore. ...

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. 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.

The Allied commander, Lieutenant-General Arthur Percival had 85,000 soldiers, the equivalent, on paper, of just over four divisions. 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. 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. The local battalions had no experience and in some cases no training.^[3] Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 546 pixelsFull resolution (1305 × 891 pixel, file size: 235 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg)The disposition of Allied ground forces in Singapore in early February 1942, prior to the Battle of Singapore. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 546 pixelsFull resolution (1305 × 891 pixel, file size: 235 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg)The disposition of Allied ground forces in Singapore in early February 1942, prior to the Battle of Singapore. ... The Johor-Singapore Causeway, as viewed from the Woodlands Checkpoint in Singapore, facing towards Johor Bahru, Malaysia. ... Sarimbun is an area located in the north-western part of Singapore, close to the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) Live Firing Area. ... // hello!!! so u are a fucker The summit of Bukit Timah, the highest point in Singapore. ... Pasir Panjang is an area in the south-western part of Singapore. ... Lieutenant-General Arthur Ernest Percival, CB, DSO and Bar, OBE, MC, OStJ, DL (December 26, 1887 - January 31, 1966) was a British Army officer and World War I hero. ... Symbol of the Polish 1st Legions Infantry Division in NATO code A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of around ten to twenty thousand soldiers. ... British Malaya was a set of states that were colonized by the British from the 18th and the 19th until the 20th century. ... The 18th Infantry Division was a Division of the British Army in World War 2. ... Merton Beckwith-Smith, DSO, MC, MA, Croix de Guerre, (11 July 1890 - 11 November 1942), was a British Army officer during the First and Second World Wars . ...

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. This was mostly mangrove swamp and jungle, broken by rivers and creeks. 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. Major General or Major-General is a military rank used in many countries. ... Henry Gordon Bennett (April 16, 1887 – August 1, 1962) was an Australian soldier who served in both World War I and World War II. Despite highly decorated achievements during World War I, including at Gallipoli, Bennett is best remembered for his role in the Fall of Singapore in the Pacific... 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 of the Allies of World War II. The 8th Division was raised from regular army units and new, all-volunteer infantry brigades... Above and below water view at the edge of the mangal. ... The Indian 17th Infantry Division was a formation of the British Indian Army raised during World War II. It had the distinction of being continually in combat during the three-year long Burma Campaign (except for brief periods of refit). ...

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". This included the naval base at Sembawang. 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 British Indian III Corps was the primary ground formation that took part in the campaign in Malaya in 1942. ... Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. ... Lieutenant-General Sir Lewis Macclesfield Heath, KBE, CB, CIE, DSO, MC (1885-1954) was a British Army officer and general during World War II. Having achieved some success as GOC 5th Indian Division during the East African Campaign, Heath was appointed to command III Indian Corps during the Battle of... The 11th Indian Infantry Division was a Indian division which formed part of Indian III Corps in the British forces during the Battle of Malaya. ... Lieutenant-General Berthold Wells Billy Key DSO MC ADC was a British Indian Army officer. ... The 11th Indian Infantry Division was an Indian division which formed part of Indian III Corps in the Malaya Command during the Battle of Malaya. ... // Sembawang Group Representation Constituency. ... The Royal Malay Regiment (Malay: Rejimen Askar Melayu DiRaja) is one of two infantry regiments in the Malaysian Army. ... The Straits Settlements Volunteer Force (SSVF) was a military reserve force in the Straits Settlements, while they were under British rule. ... The 12th Indian Infantry Brigade was part of the Singapore Fortress garrison during the Second World War . ...

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. From February 3 the Allies were shelled by Japanese artillery. This article concerns the sultan of Johor. ... Tomoyuki Yamashita, 1945 General Tomoyuki Yamashita (山下 奉文 Yamashita Tomoyuki,) (November 8, 1885 – February 23, 1946) was a general of the Japanese Imperial Army during the World War II era. ... is the 34th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...

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. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 439 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (493 × 673 pixel, file size: 52 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Description: One of Singapores 15 inch coastal defence guns elevated for firing. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 439 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (493 × 673 pixel, file size: 52 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Description: One of Singapores 15 inch coastal defence guns elevated for firing. ...

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. 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. 19th century coastal artillery guns preserved in Suomenlinna fortress in Helsinki Coastal artillery is the branch of armed forces concerned with operating mobile anti-ship artillery or fixed gun batteries in coastal fortifications. ... An Armour piercing shell is a type of ammunition designed to penetrate armour. ... This article is concerned solely with chemical explosives. ...

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 elite Imperial Guards units included a light tank brigade. The Japanese Imperial Guard (近衛師団 このえしだん Konoe Shidan) protects the Emperor, the Empress and Imperial Family, the Imperial Palaces and other imperial properties. ... Takuma Nishimura (1899–1951) was a soldier of the Empire of Japan. ... The 5th Infantry Division ) was an infantry division in the Imperial Japanese Army. ... IJA 18th Division ) was an infantry division in the Imperial Japanese Army. ... (1888-1966) Lieutenant-General Renya Mutaguchi Commanded the 18th Division in south China and in the World War II Campaigns in Malaya, Philippines and Burma. ...

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. 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. The Japanese assaulted Sarimbun Beach, in the sector controlled by the Australian 22nd Brigade under Brigadier Harold Taylor. Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... The Battle of Sarimbun Beach or the Sarimbun Beach Battle was an assault of the Japanese army against Allied forces in Singapore in February 1942. ... is the 39th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Battle of Sarimbun Beach or the Sarimbun Beach Battle was an assault of the Japanese army against Allied forces in Singapore in February 1942. ...

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. is the 40th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... See also Australian 8th Division Battle of Singapore Blakang Mati Changi Prison Prisoner of war Prisoner-of-war camp External links The Australian War Memorial Research Centre http://www. ...

Air War

Firefighters battle the results of a Japanese air raid on February 8, 1942.

Malay civilians passing by a Hawker Hurricane fighter shot down on February 8, along East Coast Road.

Brewster Buffalo fighters based at Sembawang Airfield.

Air cover was provided by only one squadron, RAF 232 Squadron, based at Kallang airfield. This was because Tengah, Seletar and Sembawang were in range of Japanese artillery at Johore Bahru. Kallang Airfield was the only operational airstrip left—the remaining squadrons were withdrawn from Singapore by January. This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... This article is about the profession. ... is the 39th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1942 (MCMXLII) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... The Hawker Hurricane was a British single-seat fighter aircraft designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd. ... is the 39th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... East Coast Park Serivice Road is a road that runs along the perimeter of the East Coast Park and the majority of the East Coast Parkway. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... The Brewster F2A Buffalo was an American fighter plane which saw limited service during World War II. In 1939, the F2A became the first monoplane fighter aircraft used by the US Navy. ... RAF is an three letter acronym for: Royal Air Force -- the Air Force of the United Kingdom (see also Air Ministry) Red Army Faction (Rote Armee Fraktion) -- a German terror organisation Rigas Autobusu Fabrika -- a factory making buses in Riga, Latvia Rapid Action Force in India Ra&