How did the British government lose their control over Singapore?
replied to: junheng11
Replied to: How did the British government lose their control over Singapore?
I'll give it a try. The Japanese needed to capture Singapore in order to protect their oil shipments from the Dutch East Indies. In addition they captured Luzon in the Phillipines and also captured Vietnam. If you look on a globe you will see how this provided a channel in which they could protect their supply of oil.
At this time Britian was heavily involved in the war in Europe and could not send reinforcements to Singapore. This led to the downfall of the British to the Japanese.
replied to: junheng11
Replied to: How did the British government lose their control over Singapore?
How did Britain lose Singapore?
Mainly Two reasons. One.Total incompetence by Percivil the Senior Army officer in charge of the Defence of Singapore.Refusing to accept strategic advice from his staff. Such as 150,000 men under arms in Singapore against 60,000 Japanese who, had to be supplied through the jungle and were running out of supplies and ammunition.
Two.Being bluffed and bullied by the Japanese to surrender,at the initial meeting. If Percivil had requested 24 hours to consider the Surrender terms, as advised and in accordance with the Haig terms of surrender.The Japanese would have run out of ammunition and consequently food.
On the day of surrender the Japanese had ammunition for 24 hours.
replied to: junheng11
Replied to: How did the British government lose their control over Singapore?
Also, Singapore was a fortress but one facing the sea. The Japanese approach was from the opposite direction by land. The guns of Singapore, the Fortress of the East, were positioned to guard from a seaward approach. These were not the type of guns that could be moved. They were in permanent fixed position. The soft underbelly of its defense was the land approach. It was a brilliant military maneuver by the Japanese.
replied to: amose1550bce
Replied to: I'll give it a try. The Japanese needed to capture Singapore...
Some canadian troops were sent at the last minute but they were all oliged to surrender.the highlanderes surrendered in a building called the rotunda and when it came time for the japs to surrender years later the scots insisted it be in the same building.a moviecameraman recorded all events for the scots high command and when the jap staff car pulled up at the steps to the rotunda all th swords were deposited at the tripod.our man put his raincoat over the best one and got it home,he showed me it and it has a white rayskin handle.gold tassles and an ancient blade with nori-maki on it regards ccserxrgf
replied to: junheng11
Replied to: How did the British government lose their control over Singapore?
Simply because they surrendered