Singapore, the Lion City, the island city state, was the centrepiece of the British Empire in the Far East. From Singapore, British Malaya was made possible, as well as communications with Hong Kong and with the dominions of Australia and New Zealand. When the Second World War broke out, as many as 130,000 British Empire troops were deployed to protected Malaya and Singapore and the fortress city was renowned around the western world as being impregnable, with the British troops themselves being invincible. They looked at the Japanese and saw, with the racist eyes of the time, short and foolish people with weak eyesight. Who could expect them to prevail against the might of the British Empire?
Yet within two days, the British were completely routed. How could this have happened? Many myths have sprung up around the events. Some of these have been inspiring and some demoralizing reminders of the possibility of man's inhumanity to man. The Japanese massacre of the doctors, staff and even patients on the operating table at the Alexandra Hospital certainly took place, although Japanese authorities maintained they genuinely believed troops in the hospital were firing on them. The Australian forces fled, this too is undisputed. The Japanese had already destroyed the British air forces, which were old-fashioned and poorly maintained and many were attacked before they could even leave the ground. This provided the Japanese with complete air superiority and so their planes were able to bomb the ground forces and civilian targets alike.
Naval superiority was then ensured when the two ships dispatched by the Royal Navy, HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse were sunk in December, 1941. Although the Empire troops were still well dug-in, they must have known their end was nigh. They were poorly-trained and equipped and, in the case of the Australians, far from home and with little at stake in Singapore. It must have seemed perfectly reasonable to them to turn their backs on the enemy and run away. They left behind the Malayan Regiment and the Singapore Volunteer Army, who fought fiercely in defence of their homeland but with little hope to resist Japanese troops who were battle-hardened by their war in China. One hero, Lieutenant Adnan bin Saidi, was repeatedly shot and bayoneted by the Japanese but refused to yield. Finally he was captured and the enraged enemy hanged his body upside down from a tree in order to demoralize the remaining Malays. They also filled a trench with burning oil to try to contain the remaining troops and kill them all. Only three Malays were able to leap through the wall of fire and return to their base.
Yet within two days, the British were completely routed. How could this have happened? Many myths have sprung up around the events. Some of these have been inspiring and some demoralizing reminders of the possibility of man's inhumanity to man. The Japanese massacre of the doctors, staff and even patients on the operating table at the Alexandra Hospital certainly took place, although Japanese authorities maintained they genuinely believed troops in the hospital were firing on them. The Australian forces fled, this too is undisputed. The Japanese had already destroyed the British air forces, which were old-fashioned and poorly maintained and many were attacked before they could even leave the ground. This provided the Japanese with complete air superiority and so their planes were able to bomb the ground forces and civilian targets alike.
Naval superiority was then ensured when the two ships dispatched by the Royal Navy, HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse were sunk in December, 1941. Although the Empire troops were still well dug-in, they must have known their end was nigh. They were poorly-trained and equipped and, in the case of the Australians, far from home and with little at stake in Singapore. It must have seemed perfectly reasonable to them to turn their backs on the enemy and run away. They left behind the Malayan Regiment and the Singapore Volunteer Army, who fought fiercely in defence of their homeland but with little hope to resist Japanese troops who were battle-hardened by their war in China. One hero, Lieutenant Adnan bin Saidi, was repeatedly shot and bayoneted by the Japanese but refused to yield. Finally he was captured and the enraged enemy hanged his body upside down from a tree in order to demoralize the remaining Malays. They also filled a trench with burning oil to try to contain the remaining troops and kill them all. Only three Malays were able to leap through the wall of fire and return to their base.
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