Japan attacks! (1937)(1939)(1941), Signing of Treaty(1940)

Meanwhile, in 1937, Japan invaded China. To protest against Japan's attack on China, countries like the United States of America(USA) cut off their oil supply to Japan. Japan then set their sights on Southeast Asia which was rich in oil and other raw materials.

Japan attacks China

In September 1939, war broke out in Europe.

Japan, in September 1940, signed a treaty of friendship with Germany and Italy, which called themselves the Axis Powers. While Germany wanted to be master of Europe, Japan wanted to be the master of Asia and the Pacific region. 

In 1941, more Indian, British and Australian troops arrived in Singapore to defend both Malaya and Singapore from a possible Japanese attack. On 2 December 1941, the battleships HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse arrived in Singapore. However, the British could not send more naval and air reinforcements because of its involvement in the war in Europe and North Africa. 

HMS Prince of Wales

HMS Repulse

On 7 December 1941, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor in Hawaii to destroy the American Pacific fleet. At the same time, the Japanese began their attacks on Malaya and other parts of Southeast Asia by air, sea and land. On 10 December 1941, HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse were sunk off the coast of Kuantan.

Sinking of HMS Prince of Wales

Watch a video on World War II -> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzqK7TC4inw

Information taken from : Marshall Cavendish Education (2007). SINGAPORE FROM SETTLEMENT TO NATION PRE-1819 TO 1971. Singapore. MOE Building

What were the efforts made by the British to defend Singapore?

After World War 1, Britain was financially drained and could no longer maintain a strong naval presence in the Far East. Britain needed all its warships to remain in Europe. However, Britain saw the need to defend its empire in the Far East as Japan was building a powerful navy. 

The British Empire in 1939. 

In order to defend its empire in the Far East, Britain decided on the 'Main Fleet to Singapore' strategy. This meant that Britain would send ships from Europe if there was trouble in Asia. However, to maintain the fleet, a huge naval base had to be built in the Far East. Singapore was chosen for the naval base was completed in 1938.

A 50,000 ton dry dock built by the British in the Sembawang Naval Base which was damaged by the Japanese

To defend the naval base in Singapore, 15-inch guns, usually mounted on ships, were installed facing the sea to prevent any attacks from the sea. Military airfields were built in Tengah and Sembawang. Underground bunkers were also built in several places like Fort Canning, Labrador and Sembawang.

The 15-inch guns that was usually mounted on ships. 

It was generally thought that Singapore was protected from the north.

An extract made by the Coordinator of Information in his report published on 12 December 1941: 

The geography of Malaya is a factor in its defence. The coastal plains were about 15 miles in width and filled with mangrove swamps. The mountain range, which runs from north to south is covered with dense jungle and vast areas that are almost unknown. Roads are few and heavily guarded, so that an invading army would be at the mercy of defenders securely hidden in the jungle. 

Singapore was thus known as the 'impregnable' fortress of the British Empire in the East. 

Information taken from : Marshall Cavendish Education (2007). SINGAPORE FROM SETTLEMENT TO NATION PRE-1819 TO 1971. Singapore. MOE Building

Extract adapted from ' Special Memorandum ' , No.16, British Empire Section on 12 December 1941 quoted The Japanese Occupation of Malaya, 1941-1945 by Paul H. Kratoska 

Japanese Invasion of Malaya (08 December 1941)

The Japanese Invasion of Malaya began just after midnight on 8 December 1941 before the attack on Pearl Harbor.

The Japanese plan for the invasion involved landing troops on the east coasts of Thailand and Malaya. The forces in Thailand were to push through to the west coast and invade Malaya from its northern province of Kedah, whilst their eastern forces from Vietnam would attack down the east coast and into the interior of Malaya from Kota Bharu.

The Japanese attack force for the invasion of Malaya, Lieutenant General Tomoyuki Yamashita's 25th Army, had sailed from Samah Harbour on Hainan Island on 4 December 1941.

Japanese troops launched an amphibious assault on the northern coast of Malaya at Kota Bharu and started advancing down the eastern coast of Malaya. This was made in conjunction with landings at Pattani and Songkhla in Thailand, where they then proceeded south overland across the Thailand-Malayan border to attack the western portion of Malaya.

The Japanese had already forced the Thai government into letting them use Thai military bases to launch attacks into Malaya.

"Malaya or Peninsular Malaysia or West Malaysia (Malay: Semenanjung Malaysia) is the part of Malaysia which lies on the Malay Peninsula, and shares a land border with Thailand in the north. To the south is the island of Singapore. Its area is 50,810 square miles (131,598 square kilometers). It accounts for the majority of Malaysia's population and economy. Across the Strait of Malacca to the west lies the island of Sumatra. East Malaysia (on the island of Borneo) is to the east across the South China Sea."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09dGuZ6zQt0 -> Watch video about The Japanese Invasion of Malaya. 

Taken from : http://www.myxpitstop.com/the-japanese-invasion-of-malaya/#.UR0Fix2nrQ0 (Date accessed:  14Feb2013)