History chap 5 Flashcards
What were the factors that led to the Victory/defeat in the Battle of Singapore? Why was it important?
1. Control of the Sea
- Naval bases for Britain to send its warships to the base.
- Guns were placed in positions facing the sea to defend against attacks from the sea.
2. Control of the air
- Provide cover for the navy from air attack
- Bomb enemy cities to lower morale and force surrender.
3. Strategies
- Achieve military objective or prevent the enemy from achieving its military objective
- Prevent losses of resources or military to sustain a long war
- inflict more losses on the enemy.
4. Resources
- To have military strength to fight a long war/win battles
- To replace casualties and losses
- Have the raw materials to continue fighting or gain weapons.
5. Morale, determination to fight/win, fierce resistance
- These allowed armed forces and civilians to continue fighting in the war.
- Experience of the troops could affect their morale.
6. External reasons
- Fighting a war in Europe that would stretch its resources too thinly
- could not send resources to its colonies
- concentrated on defending itself.
What led to the defeat of the British in Singapore (1 DEXA, control of sea)?
Control of the Sea. The British followed the “Singapore strategy”, where Britain would send a fleet of warships to the naval base to protect Singapore. An example would be Forze Z. Warships HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse were sent to Singapore. Both warships were in the open sea on teh east coast of Malaya. However, both warships were bombed and sunk by the Japanese planes on 10th December 1941. WWII in Europe led to further changes in the “Singapore Strategy” as the British were not able to send sufficient ships to defend Singapore. Britain needed the defences to protect itself. Britain lost control of the sea.
What led to the defeat of the British in Singapore (1 DEXA, control of air)?
Control of the air. The British aircraft that were used were outdated and in poor condition. Communication and coordination among the British were poor. However, the Japanese had superiority as the Japanese planes had many modern Zero planes. The buffalo planes used by the British were outnumbered by Japan’s modern Zero fighter planes. The British took control of the airfields all over Malaya. Japan gained control of these airfields to attack the rest of Malaya and Singapore. Japanese fighters could support their troops on the ground and drop bombs on the defending forces.
What led to the defeat of the British in Singapore (1 DEXA, military strategies)?
The British believed that Sinagpore could not be attacked from the North due to its thick jungles and during the monsoon season. Hence, they put defences in the South and East of Sinagpore but very few defences in the North. General Percival had spread his troops over a large area along Singapore’s north coast. However, the Japanese attacked the northeast of Singapore heavily and the British moved resources to the northeast. The Japanese succeeded to distract the British from their actual military plans The Japanese troops invaded Singapore by the north compared to the heavily protected south and East of Singapore. The Britihs were unable to stop the Japanese from security territory in Singapore. Another Military strategy of British was to blow up the Causeway to prevent the Japanese from crossing. However, The japanese made quick repairs to the causeway. The japanese were able to quickly repair the causeway. This allowed an increase in the movement of troops and equipment into Singapore.
What led to the defeat of the British in Singapore (1 DEXA, experience of troops)?
Most troops sent to Singapore came from different parts of the British empire like Scotland, India, and Australia. However, Japanese troops were experienced in jungle warfare, battle-hardened, and well-supported with weapons, aircraft warships nd tanks. Troops from the British Empire were inexperienced and had low morale. They did not feel like it was their duty to fight for Singapore. However, lightly equipped Japanese troops depended on speed and surprise to overcome the British.
What led to the defeat of the British in Singapore (1 DEXA, external factors)?
British forces were occupied with the war in Europe. Fighting in Singapore was placed as a low priority. However, The Japanese gained control of Indochina and this allowed them to gain control of the South China Sea. Due to the war in Europe, the British were not able to send sufficient ships to defend Singapore as Britain needed the defences to protect itself. Britain LOST control of the sea. Japan’s CONTROL OF The South China Sea allowed them to launch more attacks and supply Their troops without interference from the British.
What led to the defeat of the British in Singapore (1 DEXA, resources)?
Bukit Timah held British supplies of food, water and ammunition. However, the Japanese put up a fierce fight to gain control of Bukit Timah. The Japanese’s control of Bukit Timah cut the British off its supplies of resources. The Japanese also gained a source of water supply in the reservoirs in Bukit Timah. Moreover, the main ammunition stores and military hospitals were in Pasir Panjang. The troops were represented by the Malay regiment. However, the Japanese had more troops and more weapons than the Malay Regiment and therefore, the troops were outnumbered by the Japanese. At Pasir Panjang, British resources and the military hospital were captured by the Japanese. The Malay Regiment was outnumbered and defeated.
Why was Singapore thought to be an ‘impregnable fortress’?
bcs Singapore was thought to be very difficult, impossible even, for an enemy to conquer.
What made Singapore vulnerable yet not vulnerable at the same time in terms of control over the sea?
Impregnable: As part of the ‘Singapore strategy”, Sembawang was chosen as the location for Singapore’s naval base and was completed by 1941. Forze Z: warships HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse were sent to Singapore. They also had placed coastal defence guns to prevent an attack from the sea.
not impregnable: Warships HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse were in the open sea on the east coast of Malaya.
What made Singapore vulnerable yet not vulnerable at the same time in terms of control over the air?
Impregnable: Military airfields were constructed at Tengah, Sembawang and Seletar.
not impregnable: outdated British Buffalo fighter planes sent to Singapore. Most were defeated by Japan’s modern Zero fighter planes.
What made Singapore vulnerable yet not vulnerable at the same time in terms of control over the land?
impregnable: Believed that SG could not be attacked from the North due to its thick jungles during the wet and windy monsoon season.
Not impregnable: Insufficient troops on land to protect the military airfields.
Little training, ill-equipped and low morale of troops from different parts of the British empire.
No tanks and very few anti-tank weapons.
What made Singapore vulnerable yet not vulnerable at the same time in terms of external factors?
Not impregnable: Outbreak of WWII in Europe; Hence, Britain busy fighting WII in Europe
