JAP ADVANCE

Question 1

when were the takeovers

Answer 1

Philippines DEC 1941
Singapore 15 Feb 1942
DEI Dec 1941 + Sumatra after Singapore
Burma Dec 1941

Question 2

Fall of singapore

Answer 2

• Blitzerg
• 88k British, Indian, aus & Malayan soldiers
• 138k troops surrender to only 35k japs
• “Bastion of the east”
• “The worst disaster and largest capitulation in British history” Churchill
• Britain lost 53k troops + HMS ‘Repulse’ + Prince of Wales sunk
• Influx of POWS - 130k (50k British, 60 Indian, 7k Aus) = admin & organisational probs (troops relocated)

Question 3

fall of DEI

Answer 3

Invade Sumatra after Singapore fell
Next = Java (world source of oil + minerals = help jap war effort)
“Most strategic jewel in the South Pacific” (Saburo)
Jap island hopping

Question 4

Burma

Answer 4

Control of Burma Rd due to airfield in Northern Burma - starve Chinese of vital supplies
98k POWs used to build Thai-Burma Railroad

Question 5

Philippines

Answer 5

Douglas MacArthur + troops forced out - jap destroyed most of airforce
Controlled huge territory - extended from Indian Burmese border to Java
Control of Philippine Straits - main sea access to Java