Battle Of Singapore Research Paper

The Battle of Singapore, otherwise known as The Fall of Singapore, was fought during the Second World War and is known as one of Britain’s largest losses in history. Singapore epitomized what the British Empire was all about – an essential military base that protected Britain’s Commonwealth possessions in the Far East.

During October 1941, the Japanese had completed their plans for the war. Their prime objective was Malaya, due to it’s rich natural resources of rubber. However, in order to take Malaya, the Japanese first had to conquer Singapore: the most heavily armed fortress in the world. For more than one hundred years Britain had dominated Singapore, and often referred to the island as the “Gibraltar in the Far East”. Nonetheless, this reputation was
Furthermore, The Japanese persuaded the Thai government to allow them to use Thai military bases, as protection against invasions from the Southeast by other nations. The Japanese assault through the Malay Peninsular took everybody by surprise. They used speed to their advantage, embracing the use of bicycles and light tanks, and didn’t allow the British enough time to regroup. The British had confidently predicted that the Japanese would attack from the sea, and as a result all their defenses faced out to sea. They believed it was impossible for the island to be attacked any other way, especially through the jungle and swamps of the Malay Peninsula. However, this was exactly the route the Japanese took. As the Japanese attacked, their troops were instructed to not take any prisoners, as it would slow down their advance. Singapore was bombed by 17 aircrafts flying from Thu Dau Mot in Southern Indochina, all belonging to the Imperial Japanese navy. The attack began at about 4:30pm, shortly after the Japanese had landed in Kota Bharu, Malaya. However, Britain’s naval presence at Singapore was still strong. A squadron of