Battle of Jitra
BATTLE OF JITRA
INTRODUCTION
1. Some two months before the fall of Singapore, the history of East Asia was forever transformed by the surprising attack across the Malay Peninsular. The sole objective was the capture of Singapore by land. Within a few days of the landing of the invasion forces, the fate of Asia will be played out on the field nearby a town called Jitra.
2. The Battle of Jitra which lasted less than two days will ultimately foretell the density that waits that the British and combined Commonwealth Forces in Malaya. The battle deserves a place in modern military history as it represent the first time ever an Asian power has subdued white troops in ground combat. It was also the first time that the Allies witnessed the explosive and penetrative power of a combined arms Army in Asia. All of which will happen first in the Battle of Jitra. The final outcome of which would testify to the supremacy of the army of the "Land of the Rising Sun".
3. Supremacy at Jitra was shown in the manner where the Japanese reinforce battalion infantry supported by armour, engineers, artillery and air working in harmony as one team utilising exceptional tactics decimated the British defending forces. The operational art of the Japanese forces allowed them to further dictate the term and condition of battle. Japanese supremacy also showed in their deftness in devising a military strategy guaranteeing their tactical and operational advantage on the fields of Jitra. British Forces did have successes at the operational and tactical level but all of them, as this study will show, pale in comparison to the Japanese accomplishments across the spectrum of warfare.
4 The value of the Battle of Jitra as a lesson for the Malaysian Army cannot be overstated. The battle itself provides an in depth and concise tutorial on conventional warfare tactics executed brilliantly by unconventional minds. Moreover, the invaders were fighting on a terrain and environment quite
INTRODUCTION
1. Some two months before the fall of Singapore, the history of East Asia was forever transformed by the surprising attack across the Malay Peninsular. The sole objective was the capture of Singapore by land. Within a few days of the landing of the invasion forces, the fate of Asia will be played out on the field nearby a town called Jitra.
2. The Battle of Jitra which lasted less than two days will ultimately foretell the density that waits that the British and combined Commonwealth Forces in Malaya. The battle deserves a place in modern military history as it represent the first time ever an Asian power has subdued white troops in ground combat. It was also the first time that the Allies witnessed the explosive and penetrative power of a combined arms Army in Asia. All of which will happen first in the Battle of Jitra. The final outcome of which would testify to the supremacy of the army of the "Land of the Rising Sun".
3. Supremacy at Jitra was shown in the manner where the Japanese reinforce battalion infantry supported by armour, engineers, artillery and air working in harmony as one team utilising exceptional tactics decimated the British defending forces. The operational art of the Japanese forces allowed them to further dictate the term and condition of battle. Japanese supremacy also showed in their deftness in devising a military strategy guaranteeing their tactical and operational advantage on the fields of Jitra. British Forces did have successes at the operational and tactical level but all of them, as this study will show, pale in comparison to the Japanese accomplishments across the spectrum of warfare.
4 The value of the Battle of Jitra as a lesson for the Malaysian Army cannot be overstated. The battle itself provides an in depth and concise tutorial on conventional warfare tactics executed brilliantly by unconventional minds. Moreover, the invaders were fighting on a terrain and environment quite
Bibliography: Australian Arrmy, Formation Tactics, Manual of Land Warfare, Headquarters Training Command, 1987. Tsuji, Colonel Masanobu. Singapore: The Japanese Version, Singapore: Oxford University Press, 1988. Owen, Frank. The Fall of Singapore. Sydney: Pan Books, 1960. Percival, Lieutenant General. The War in Malaya, New Delhi: M.K. Sagar, 1971. Smyth, Sir John. Percival and the tragedy of Singapore. London: Mac Donald, 1971. Allen, Louis. Singapore 1941-1942, London: Davis-Ponyter Limited, 1977. ----------------------- [1] Masanobu Tsuji, Singapore: 1941-1942- The Japanese Version, (Sydney: Ure Smith, 1960): p [2] Masanobu Tsuji, Singapore 1941-1942, (Oxford University Press, 1988): page 92 and 93. [3] Stanley L.Falk, Seventy Days to Singapore: The Malayan Campaign 1941-1942,(London: Robert Hale&Co, 1975): p. 39. [4] Stanley L.Falk, Seventy Days to Singapore: The Malayan Campaign 1941-1942,(London: Robert Hale&Co, 1975): p. 43 [5] Keogh E.G, Tanah Malayu 1941-1942, ( Terjemahan Daripada Buku Malaya 1941-1942) page 31. [6] Woodburn Kirby, The War Against Japan Vol 1, ( London: Her Majesty Stationer Office, 1957 ), p. 89 [7] Ibid, p [8] Masanobu Tsuji, Singapore 1941-1942, (Oxford University Press, 1988): page 124 [9]Stanley L [10] Australian Army, Formation Tactics, Manual of Land Warfare, Headquarters of Training and Command, 1987.