The Fall of Singapore
THE FALL OF SINGAPORE SPEECH The Battle of Singapore was fought in South-East Asia during World War II, when the Japanese Army was severely underrated. Nobody could have predicted the outcome of the battle that commenced on the 31st of January 1941 and lasted til the 15th of February in 1942. Singapore was a great strategic naval base for the Allied Forces, and they anticipated an attack. The British had the numbers, but it seems as though the Japanese had the luck. Let me start by telling you who the leaders of the battle were.
Tomoyuki Yamashita was the general of the Japanese Imperial Army during Word War II. Born on November 8th 1885 and died on February 23rd 1946, Yamashita was placed in command of the Twenty Fifth Army. On the 8th of December he launched the invasion of Malaya, from Japanese bases in French Indochina. During the battle of Singapore, Yamashita’s front-line of 30,000 soldiers captured 130,000 British, Indian and Australian troops, becoming the largest surrender of British-led personnel in history. Yamashita became famous for conquering the British Colonies of Malaya and Singapore and hence earnt the nickname “The Tiger of Malaya”.
Arthur Percival was the Lieutenant-General for the British Expeditionary Force. Born on the 26th December 1887 and died on the 31st January 1996, Percival built a successful military career during the interwar period but was most accredited for his involvement in World War II, when he commanded the forces of the British Commonwealth during the Battle of Malaya and the subsequent Battle of Singapore. Prior to the battle, Percival had never commanded an army. He had mixed feeling about his appointment, and claimed “In going to Malaya I realised that there was the double danger either of being left in an inactive command for some years if war did not break out in the East or, if it did, of finding myself involved in a pretty sticky business with the inadequate forces which are usually to be found in the distant
Tomoyuki Yamashita was the general of the Japanese Imperial Army during Word War II. Born on November 8th 1885 and died on February 23rd 1946, Yamashita was placed in command of the Twenty Fifth Army. On the 8th of December he launched the invasion of Malaya, from Japanese bases in French Indochina. During the battle of Singapore, Yamashita’s front-line of 30,000 soldiers captured 130,000 British, Indian and Australian troops, becoming the largest surrender of British-led personnel in history. Yamashita became famous for conquering the British Colonies of Malaya and Singapore and hence earnt the nickname “The Tiger of Malaya”.
Arthur Percival was the Lieutenant-General for the British Expeditionary Force. Born on the 26th December 1887 and died on the 31st January 1996, Percival built a successful military career during the interwar period but was most accredited for his involvement in World War II, when he commanded the forces of the British Commonwealth during the Battle of Malaya and the subsequent Battle of Singapore. Prior to the battle, Percival had never commanded an army. He had mixed feeling about his appointment, and claimed “In going to Malaya I realised that there was the double danger either of being left in an inactive command for some years if war did not break out in the East or, if it did, of finding myself involved in a pretty sticky business with the inadequate forces which are usually to be found in the distant