Generals At War : The Battle of Singapore

Summary

The Battle of Singapore in 1941 saw British General Arthur Percival and Japanese General Tomoyuki Yamashita in a strategic duel that led to the fall of Singapore. Yamashita's use of speed, surprise, and innovative tactics like the 'Scorpion Maneuver' overwhelmed Percival's forces, despite their numerical advantage. British complacency, outdated equipment, and poor leadership were pivotal in the outcome, culminating in Percival's surrender and a significant blow to British imperial prestige.

Takeaways

• 📅 The Battle of Singapore took place in December 1941, during the early stages of World War II in the Pacific.
• 🏝️ The battle was fought over a strategically important island in the South China Sea, which was part of the British Empire.
• 🇯🇵 Japan, under General Tomoyuki Yamashita, aimed to push Western powers out of Southeast Asia to gain control of its rich resources.
• 🇬🇧 British General Arthur Percival was tasked with defending Singapore, which was considered an exotic and comfortable posting within the Empire.
• 👥 Yamashita was an unconventional military leader, known for his intelligence and willingness to challenge the establishment.
• 🎯 Yamashita's strategy relied on speed and surprise, opting to invade with a smaller, more agile force to maintain logistical efficiency.
• 🌧️ The Japanese invasion was meticulously planned, including the choice of the rainy season to exploit perceived Western aversion to fighting in adverse weather.
• 👮‍♂️ British forces were complacent and underestimated the Japanese, leading to a lack of preparedness for the invasion.
• 🛡️ British soldiers were ill-equipped for jungle warfare, wearing outdated uniforms and carrying rifles from World War I.
• 🚲 The Japanese used bicycles as a 'secret weapon' to move troops and supplies quickly through the Malay Peninsula.
• 🏳️‍🏴 The Battle of Singapore ended with a decisive Japanese victory, leading to the largest capitulation in British military history and the capture of 120,000 troops.

Q & A

What significant event occurred in December 1941 that impacted Southeast Asia?

In December 1941, Japan entered World War II with a plan to attack the Americans at Pearl Harbor, invade the Philippines, and British colonies in the Far East, with the ultimate goal of pushing Western powers out of Southeast Asia and seizing its natural resources.

Who were the two generals that played pivotal roles in the Battle of Singapore?

The two generals were British General Arthur Percival and Japanese General Tomoyuki Yamashita.

What was the strategic importance of the island that General Yamashita targeted?

The island targeted by General Yamashita was Singapore, which was a British colony with rich natural resources and a strategic location in the South China Sea, crucial to the British Empire's presence in Southeast Asia.

Why was General Yamashita considered an unusual figure in the Japanese military?

General Yamashita was considered unusual because he did not fit the traditional Japanese military mold. He was from a non-aristocratic background, being the son of a village doctor, and was known for questioning the establishment and thinking outside the box.

What was the initial complacent attitude of the British population in Singapore towards the Japanese?

The British population in Singapore initially regarded the Japanese as friends, as Britain had been allies with Japan, and the idea that Japan might become expansionist at their expense did not dawn on them.

What was the significance of the Japanese invasion plan relying on speed and surprise?

The reliance on speed and surprise was crucial to General Yamashita's plan, as it allowed him to launch an attack with a slimmed-down army, avoiding the strain on logistic resources that a larger force might have caused.

What was the impact of the Japanese air superiority on the Battle of Singapore?

Japanese air superiority, with twice as many planes as the British and superior quality, allowed General Yamashita to launch attacks on British airfields, destroy most of Percival's planes, and gain control of the air during the battle.

How did the Japanese use bicycles to their advantage during the invasion of Malaya?

The Japanese used bicycles to move their troops quickly and carry a large amount of supplies, allowing them to maintain speed and surprise, and effectively outmaneuver the British forces.

What was the 'Scorpion maneuver' used by General Yamashita?

The 'Scorpion maneuver' involved sending one column to engage the enemy directly while another column moved through the jungle to attack from the rear, effectively surrounding and overwhelming the enemy forces.

What was the final decision made by General Percival after the Japanese invasion of Singapore Island?

General Percival decided to surrender unconditionally to General Yamashita after his troops were trapped in Singapore City, facing severe shortages of water, food, and ammunition.

Outlines

00:00

🌊 The Battle of Singapore: Clash of Generals

This paragraph sets the stage for the Battle of Singapore in December 1941, highlighting the strategic importance of the island within the South China Sea and its implications for the British Empire. It introduces the two key generals, British General Arthur Percival and Japanese General Tomoyuki Yamashita, who are miles apart yet mentally locked in combat. The narrative delves into Yamashita's unconventional background and strategic decisions, such as opting for a lighter, faster invasion force to maximize the element of surprise. The paragraph also touches on Percival's comfortable posting in Singapore and his readiness to defend against the anticipated Japanese aggression.

05:02

🏝️ Singapore's Complacency and Japanese Preparations

The second paragraph examines the British complacency in Singapore due to their previous alliance with Japan, which led to an underestimation of the Japanese military threat. It contrasts this with the meticulous year-long preparations by the Japanese under Colonel Masanobu Tsuji, who planned an invasion tailored to exploit perceived Western weaknesses. The paragraph also discusses the outdated British military equipment, such as the Victorian-era uniforms ill-suited for jungle warfare, and the superior Japanese gear designed for the tropical climate. The narrative underscores the Japanese soldiers' rigorous training and the psychological advantage gained from their leaders' thorough preparation.

10:06

🛳️ The Japanese Invasion and British Response

This paragraph details the Japanese invasion strategy, which involved simultaneous landings in neutral Thailand and British Malaya, aiming to establish a foothold and capture airfields. It describes the initial British hesitation due to the risk of declaring war on neutral Thailand and the subsequent Japanese success in landing troops despite heavy losses. The narrative highlights the Japanese soldiers' indoctrination with the Emperor's cause and their resilience in overcoming British defenses. It also touches on the British realization of the formidable Japanese forces they are up against, as well as the Japanese air superiority and the sinking of British battleships sent to aid Malaya.

15:09

🗺️ The Malayan Campaign and British Dilemma

The fourth paragraph delves into the Malayan campaign, where General Percival faces the difficult decision of either withdrawing from Malaya to defend Singapore or fighting a protracted war to protect the valuable rubber and tin resources. The paragraph discusses the pressure from Winston Churchill to hold ground at all costs and the challenges Percival's infantry faced with outdated rifles. It also describes the Japanese strategy of continuous advance, risking supply shortages, and the British infantry's preparedness to defend their positions despite being outnumbered.

20:11

🚴‍♂️ The Japanese Advance and British Retreat

This paragraph focuses on the Japanese use of bicycles to maintain their rapid advance through the Malayan Peninsula, allowing them to carry more supplies and move quickly. It contrasts this with the British troops' lighter load, which was still challenging to manage in the jungle. The narrative describes the Japanese soldiers' determination and the innovative tactics used to overcome obstacles, such as the Skorpion maneuver, which involved encircling and attacking from the rear. The paragraph also details Percival's decision to make operational withdrawals to regroup and defend the southern part of Malaya, despite the psychological impact of losing territory.

25:12

🔨 The Struggle for Bridges and River Crossings

The sixth paragraph discusses the critical importance of controlling bridges in the race southward, as both sides sought to either destroy or capture them to aid their advance. It describes the innovative methods used by the Japanese engineers to quickly construct bridges using human props when necessary. The narrative also highlights individual acts of heroism, such as the Japanese soldier who captured multiple bridges single-handedly, and the challenges Percival faced in trying to slow the Japanese advance with limited resources and time.

30:14

🇦🇺 Australian Troops and Japanese Atrocities

This paragraph introduces the Australian troops who, despite being new to the theater, made an immediate impact by ambushing and killing a significant number of Japanese cyclists. However, it also reveals the darker side of the Japanese soldiers, who are shown to torture and massacre captured enemy soldiers. The narrative discusses the moral implications of General Yamashita's failure to punish such atrocities and the impact on the overall morale and strategy of both sides as the battle for Singapore Island looms.

35:20

🏰 The Final Stand on Singapore Island

The eighth paragraph sets the stage for the battle on Singapore Island, with Percival's troops retreating onto the island and the causeway being destroyed to create a fortress. It describes the strategic challenges Percival faces in defending the island against an unpredictable attack and the pressure from Churchill to hold the island at all costs. The narrative also details the Japanese invasion strategy, which includes a diversionary attack and a main force landing in the difficult-to-navigate mangrove swamps, leading to a swift and surprising advance towards Singapore City.

40:21

🏳️‍🏻 The Fall of Singapore and Percival's Surrender

In the ninth paragraph, the narrative reaches its climax with the fall of Singapore City as British and Australian troops lose control and chaos ensues. General Percival, against Churchill's staunch orders, faces the agonizing decision to surrender to prevent further loss of life. The paragraph highlights the dire situation of Percival's troops, trapped and running out of essential supplies, and the psychological impact of the impending surrender. It concludes with Percival's unconditional surrender to General Yamashita, marking a significant victory for the Japanese and a devastating defeat for the British Empire.

45:22

🏹 Post-Battle Aftermath and Legacy

The final paragraph reflects on the aftermath of the Battle of Singapore, with General Yamashita earning the moniker 'Tiger of Malaya' for his strategic prowess, despite the moral questions surrounding his leadership. It contrasts the fates of the two generals, with Percival spending the war as a prisoner and Yamashita eventually being executed for war crimes. The narrative also acknowledges the historical significance of the battle, considered by Churchill as the worst disaster and largest capitulation in British history, and the lasting impact it had on the perception of the British military and the course of World War II.

Keywords

💡Battle of Singapore

The Battle of Singapore was a significant military campaign during World War II where the British forces, led by General Percival, faced off against the invading Japanese forces commanded by General Yamashita. It was pivotal as it led to the fall of Singapore to the Japanese, marking a major defeat for the British Empire in the Far East. The script details the strategies, tactics, and outcomes of this battle, highlighting the speed and surprise of the Japanese invasion and the underestimation of the Japanese forces by the British.

💡General Percival

General Arthur Percival was the British commander during the Battle of Singapore. The script portrays him as a courageous leader who had served in World War I and against the IRA but who was ultimately outmaneuvered by the Japanese forces. His surrender of Singapore was a significant event, as it was against the direct orders of Winston Churchill and marked a major capitulation in British military history.

💡General Yamashita

General Tomoyuki Yamashita, known as the 'Tiger of Malaya,' was the Japanese commander in the Battle of Singapore. The script describes him as an unconventional and intelligent military leader who employed innovative tactics such as the scorpion maneuver and the use of bicycles for rapid troop movement. His successful campaign led to the capture of Singapore and Malaya.

💡Scorpio Maneuver

The scorpion maneuver was a military tactic used by General Yamashita during the Battle of Singapore. It involved sending one column of troops to engage the enemy while another column moved through difficult terrain to attack from the rear, effectively surrounding and overwhelming the enemy. The script illustrates this tactic's effectiveness in breaking the British defenses.

💡Bicycle Blitzkrieg

The term 'bicycle blitzkrieg' refers to the rapid movement of Japanese troops using bicycles, which allowed them to cover vast distances quickly and maintain the element of surprise. The script highlights this as a key factor in the Japanese forces' ability to outpace and outmaneuver the British, contributing to their swift advance towards Singapore.

💡Surrender

Surrender in the context of the script refers to General Percival's decision to capitulate to the Japanese forces, ending the Battle of Singapore. This was a controversial and difficult decision, as it went against the directives from Winston Churchill and resulted in the largest surrender of British-led troops in history.

💡Winston Churchill

Winston Churchill was the British Prime Minister during World War II. The script mentions his adamant stance against surrender, even when the situation was dire for the British forces in Singapore. His messages to General Percival emphasized fighting to the end and not entertaining the idea of surrender.

💡Atrocities

The script refers to atrocities committed by General Yamashita's soldiers, including torture and massacre of captured enemy soldiers. These acts were not condoned by Yamashita and were considered a dark side of the Japanese forces during the campaign.

💡Malacca Strait

The Malacca Strait is a narrow body of water between the Malay Peninsula and the Indonesian island of Sumatra. The script mentions it as the route General Yamashita's forces took to invade Singapore, highlighting its strategic importance in the battle.

💡Imperial Guards

The Imperial Guards were an elite unit of the Japanese Army during World War II. In the script, they are depicted as being involved in the torture and massacre of enemy soldiers, reflecting the brutal nature of warfare during this period.

💡Unconditional Surrender

Unconditional surrender refers to the complete submission of a defeated party to the terms of the victor, without any conditions. The script describes General Percival's signing of an unconditional surrender, marking the end of the Battle of Singapore and the British Empire's control over the region.

Highlights

Two generals, British General Arthur Percival and Japanese General Tomoyuki Yamashita, faced off in the Battle of Singapore.

Yamashita's unorthodox approach and slimmed-down army relied on speed and surprise, challenging traditional military tactics.

Percival's appointment to Singapore was met with mixed feelings due to his lack of experience in jungle warfare.

British complacency and underestimation of Japanese capabilities played a role in the unfolding of the battle.

Yamashita's forces invaded neutral Thailand and British Malaya, demonstrating audacious military strategy.

The Japanese invasion was meticulously planned, with Colonel Masanobu Tsuji's detailed operational insights.

British soldiers were ill-equipped for jungle warfare, with outdated uniforms and inadequate weaponry.

Yamashita capitalized on air superiority with superior aircraft and experienced pilots, outclassing Percival's forces.

The Japanese used bicycles as a 'secret weapon' to increase mobility and speed in the dense Malayan jungle.

Percival's decision to withdraw troops to Singapore Island was a strategic move to consolidate defenses.

Yamashita's innovative 'Scorpion' maneuver outflanked and demoralized the British forces.

Percival's Australian troops made a significant impact with a successful ambush on Japanese cyclists.

Yamashita's decision to invade through the treacherous mangrove swamps was a bold and unexpected move.

Percival's struggle to defend the extensive coastline of Singapore Island highlighted logistical challenges.

Yamashita's successful bluff at the surrender negotiations added to his reputation as a cunning tactician.

The Battle of Singapore resulted in a significant loss for the British Empire and a major victory for Japan.

Percival's surrender marked a turning point in World War II and a personal tragedy for the British general.

Yamashita's post-war trial and execution underscored the complexities of military leadership and responsibility.

Transcripts

December 1941 war rips through Southeast

Asia

two generals go head-to-head in a battle

for a tiny island in the South China Sea

that will shake the very foundations of

the British Empire British General

Arthur Percival and Japanese general

Tama Yukiya Master may be kilometers

apart but in their minds they stand over

the same table to modern-day generals

we'll get inside their heads to unpick

their tactics and strategy while a team

of military experts compare their

equipment and their firepower to reveal

just how the Battle of Singapore was won

and lost December 7th 1941 Japan is

about to enter the war with a bad

she plans to attack the Americans at

Pearl Harbor and invade the Philippines

and British colonies in the Far East in

the same night her ultimate goal to push

the Western powers out of Southeast Asia

and grab its rich natural resources a

man chosen to lead the Japanese invasion

of British held Malaya and Singapore his

general yeah master he is an unusual

figure in the Japanese military

he wasn't the traditional Japanese Gerry

didn't fit into the box in in a

comfortable way he was questioning he

wasn't part of the establishment if you

like and therefore he was an odd he was

the oddball out he was too clever by

half

Major General Julian Thompson is a

former Royal Marine Commando he is

fascinated by a master he was the son of

a village doctor he went to a military

academy to get hit an education and so

he's not from the traditional

aristocratic Japanese background and

he's actually a quite senior chap before

he starts battle fighting when he's

actually confronted with battle he's out

there leading from the front and this I

think is very good preparation for what

he's about to do young master wants to

kick the British out of their wealthy

colonies in Malaya and Singapore his

plan relies on speed and surprise so he

will travel light with a slimmed-down

army he is offered four divisions but

decides to launch his attack with just

two an indication of his intelligence as

a general was he resisted the temptation

to have more just in case because he

knew that it would create a great strain

on his logistic resources and might end

up in disaster because he was actually

half starving everybody in order to

cover the whole lot

as your master plots his first move his

adversary takes charge in British

Singapore the newly promoted leftenant

general Arthur II Percival Singapore I

think was probably one of the more

exotic and the more comfortable of the

Imperial of stations when he was told

that he was to be promoted lieutenant

general he must have thought great this

is marvelous Singapore was golf tennis

bridge the club in the evening the

sundowners wonderful

leftenant General Sir Alastair Owen is a

top ranking British general with many

overseas postings under his belt and

then he thinks to himself

hang on Singapore this is either going

to be something where I get to be

drinking drink for the ribs next two

years with nothing happening at all or

it's going to be a pretty difficult

business

Perceval fears the island may prove a

tempting prize for the Japanese but he

is up for the fight he's already proved

himself in World War one and against the

IRA in Island nobody doubted his courage

and his character when things were rough

a man who knew his business

I think the generally speaking he was

thought that what we might in Britain

call a good egg but he does in

appearance not exactly fit the mold of

what you might think a sort of commander

might might look like and instinctively

soldiers follow people who look good

people who just look the part and I

think that that was a a slight Achilles

heel of poor Oh Festival that would have

done to his mother and father didn't do

a great job on the design

arriving in Singapore Perceval finds a

complacent population we in Britain had

been allies of the Japanese and so we

regarded them as friends and and the

idea that slowly they might be becoming

expansionist and that that expansion

would be at our expense didn't really

dawn on people

the British had rather disgraceful

attitude to the Japanese fighting man

the Japanese couldn't see at night the

Japanese were always wearing thick

pebble glasses so that when it rained

they couldn't see only at all they were

far too small to carrying a thing of any

significance on their backs well they

just weren't aware the enemy really what

the British don't know is that the

Japanese have been preparing their

invasion for a year under your masters

chief planner Colonel Masanobu soo-ji

Colonel suji who later gains a taste for

eating his enemies livers plots a

tropical war down to the last detail

he's a sort of freshest character he

master doesn't like all that much but

he's an ace staff officer highly

enthusiastic a driving character just

the sort of chap you need as a chief of

staff provided you have a hand on the

back of his neck from time to time and

pull him back

soo-ji wants a master to launch his

invasion in the rainy season

he believes Westerners being very

effeminate and cowardly have an intense

dislike of fighting in the rain or the

mist or at night your master takes his

advice he'll attack at night in the

monsoon Percival's men are not properly

equipped for such a fight

military historian Andy Robert Shaw

explains why the uniform that we see

here on our representative British

soldier it's based on what was worn

really at the end of Queen Victoria's

reign in the 1890s so it's old-fashioned

the even by the style of the 1940s

British soldiers have been wearing

shorts for a long time and they're great

for desert environments in a jungle your

legs are very exposed they get cut and

scratched you're very very vulnerable to

mosquitoes that carry malaria boots is

wearing ammunition boots developed

really for long-distance marching on

nice dry roads in a jungle environment

if these things last 10 days then you're

lucky really this a whole uniform is not

ideal for what we're going to ask him to

do when he fights the Japanese Japanese

soldier here is wearing a uniform at the

based on recent experience fighting in

China so whereas his uniform is based on

what was happening at the end of the

19th century this is modern it's light

quite comfortable to wear designed to

combat the heat

these are putties basically they're

bandages behind your legs these stock

mud and dirt getting into your boots

protects your legs these things are

really good for jungle warfare

frankly we couldn't cope with this level

of sophistication we had nothing to

match the Japanese the Japanese

preparation was so thorough the troops

knew what to expect and of course it

gives a soldier huge confidence if he

thinks his leaders have done the

homework and when he arrives there it's

exactly as he's been told it's going to

be but your master's plan is still

fraught with risk he wants to put troops

ashore in neutral Thailand and British

held Malaya at the same time his Air

Force will attack British airfields and

destroy Percival's planes he master will

use the captured bases to launch his own

bombing raids then he will push his main

force 800 kilometers down the west coast

of the peninsula to attack Singapore

Island the key British naval base in the

Far East on the eve of the invasion

yamato writes a poem in his diary on the

day the Sun shines with the moon our

arrow leaves the bow it carries my

spirit toward the enemy with me are a

hundred million souls my people from the

east

Perceval gets wind of your masters force

heading for Thailand he considers

striking first but attacking the

Japanese entire territory will amount to

a declaration of war on neutral Thailand

so he hesitates while he did as you

mashed her lands her master's invasion

is on track he is caught the British on

the back foot with the speed and sheer

nerve of his first move young master

comes ashore with over 20,000 troops in

neutral Thailand fights off the Thai

military police and quickly heads south

to the Malay border the mesh should have

helped no compunction part of a through

a neutral country I don't think that was

rated very high on the on the Japanese

radar but his attempt to land another

strike force in British held Malaya

immediately hits trouble

here his men face soldiers from the

British Indian Army who are defending

Malaya alongside regular British and

Australian troops Percival knows that

the odds of stopping a master landing

are stacked in his favor if you can

catch an invading force on the beach you

have a pretty good chance of pushing it

back into the sea the enemy is at his

weakest when he's putting people ashore

him to establish themselves on the

ground their commanders Astrea flag and

so on they they they are vulnerable to

exploit this advantage personal bombs he

amassed as launchers as they attempt to

put troops ashore many go down but your

master runs the gauntlet

he manages to land over 5300 men on the

Malay beach then his soldiers have to

fight through three lines of barbed wire

past ranks of dug-in infantry and cross

a network of waterways under constant

artillery and machine gun fire

the Japanese are forced to crawl on

their hands and knees through a hail of

bullets over 800 are killed or injured

but they don't give up

yo masters determined men forced their

way through Percival's defenses and

overrun the air field for the first time

the British realize what they are up

against the Japanese soldier was taught

that immediately Emperor's everything

that death was as light as a feather

that surrender was disgraceful that

being a prisoner was the lowest thing

you could be tough frugal ruthless very

well trained and Japanese soldier was a

very very superior fine soldier

despite his heavy losses he masters plan

is on track now he has captured his

first airbase he opens his bid to win

the air war

yah Master has twice as many planes as

Percival and it isn't just a matter of

quantity but of quality well he had the

zero which was a very fine fighter was

probably in its time the best fighter

around his pilots were experienced

they'd fought in China and so he had a

huge card in that in that sense general

Percival is at a distinct disadvantage

the Royal Air Force had quite a large

fleet of very second eleven airplanes

but should been procured during the

interval between the first and second

world wars and which really weren't fit

for any kind of service other than just

sort of looking good on flying displays

all that wouldn't have mattered if the

Japanese themselves had had

old-fashioned aeroplanes but they didn't

the master uses his superiority in the

air to launch attacks on other British

airfields in northern Malaya

he drops bombs designed to damage

aircraft and kill soldiers but which

leave the runways intact so he can use

them later within four days he master

captures all the airfields in northern

Malaya and destroys most of Percival's

planes and there is more disappointment

for Percival as news of your masters

invasion comes in battleships sent by

British Prime Minister Winston Churchill

set sail from Singapore to help defend

Malaya Japanese bombers sink them within

hours

with the Navy and airforce

decimated the defense of Malaya now

rests solely with the army general

Percival has two choices

pull his troops out of Malaya abandoning

the people to their fate and regroup to

defend Singapore or fight every inch of

the way for the Malayan Peninsula Valera

had the great importance to Britain it

had two particularly vital commodities

rubber and Tim this was not just a

stretch of jungle this was a a highly

productive highly desirable stretch of

territory and Churchill piles on the

pressure to give up any part of the

Empire without a fight will undermine

Britain as an imperial power

Percival must hold his ground whatever

the cost in blood the fate of the island

is now in the hands of his infantry but

they fight with a handicap

they are saddled with rifles left over

from World War one Bob modesta served in

the British Special Forces he has fought

in the jungle with modern guns he wants

to see how effective one of these

cumbersome antiques could be a lump of

clay represents a human body

it's gone straight through as you can

see you've got a nice neat entry where

the bullet has ended the body ok and

where the bullet has exited you've got

this massive wound open wound where all

the governs has come out yeah I mean

that this is a 303 rifle ok and a 303

bullet is a very large bullet it's a

it's a big round big old round the and

the fall you know what we're about to do

here is to see what has happened in the

center with the bullet did this

you can see where the ball that has

entered the body look and it's causing a

massive amount of damage the bullet has

tumbled and fragmented inside the clay

before exiting the hole of this the

man's internal organs would have been

absolutely smashed I'm very impressed

with the rifle the guy definitely

wouldn't have survived if that bullet

had hit this body armed with their

old-fashioned but effective guns

Percival's infantry dig in and wait for

the Japanese yah Master has a dilemma

consolidate his position or take the

initiative the temptation is to stop and

draw your tail up behind you and get

ready for the next bit and have a quick

breather and he did not fall into that

trap he kept going the risk he was

facing he'd come up against some really

serious opposition we'll just hold him

up and then he'd be eating through his

ammunition he be eating through his food

so he was banking on capturing what

critical in order to keep his momentum

going but it's a highly risky strategy

because if you don't win you don't get

those supplies you are completely

banjaxed you come to a grinding halt so

he did take a risk huge risk

yah Master wants to reach Singapore in

weeks but it is 800 kilometers down the

Malayan peninsula to the island

how can he move his 30,000 foot soldiers

so far so fast could he learn a lesson

from Percival's troops the British have

been in Malaya for years to March long

distances along jungle tracks they have

learned to travel light what we've got

here on the floor is the complete set of

equipment as carried by a British

soldier in the Singapore campaign got

his rifle his gas mask his respirator

boots spare equipment ammunition the lot

the whole lot they suggested should be

about 18 kilos no more than that and in

fact this is 18 kilos in water bottles

it's worth saying that a unit of the

Ardiles marched 90 kilometres 30

kilometres a day with that kind of

weight on in fact if we put my volunteer

here in soup

18 kilos of real weight on it goes

buckle it all neatly into place give you

your gas mask your respirator on it goes

like that and then give you a rifle to

go over your shoulder you should be able

to march through jungle in this case

some this is our jungle and you're going

to do not 90 kilometres you're going to

do just a brief section to try it out on

you get Banda

start marching happy very happy feel

comfortable yeah it's fine I wanna say

you're doing a few kilometers time okay

you gonna March now for an hour the end

of an hour you got 10 minutes break you

can have a drink of water and back on

the treadmill All Right see you do but

your master wants his men to carry more

so they can survive for longer without

being resupplied what we've got here is

what a Japanese soldiers carrying is

good at least 10 liters of water

he's got 6 kilograms of rice the whole

weight is 36 kilos bring it in

dump it there that's twice as much cuz

we're not British soldiers are carrying

but to move it you need a secret weapon

Jun this is the secret weapon this is

the bicycle the Japanese have two

divisions that's 30,000 men and in those

two divisions they had 12,000 of these

that means that you can carry vast

amounts of weight downhill you cycle

uphill you can push them it's not a

problem

with 12,000 troops on bicycles you

master plans to storm down the Malayan

Peninsula in weeks speed and surprise

was the key master the infantry was so

good in keeping the momentum going using

bicycles that he was able to have a sore

foot equivalent of litte scream bicycle

blitzkrieg is the British are left

floundering by the freewheeling Japanese

how you doing feeling it now it's very

tough you're doing very well just coming

up to an hour okay you get your um 10

minute break that's it take it easy

yeah take it easy just put your rifle

down first okay that's it okay okay

respirator yeah you're under the string

put your cap down that's it good and

under your waist belt and then just sit

down let's see there yeah just okay yeah

you get the rhythm with the Japanese

setting the pace Perceval is forced on

the defensive once again his indian

soldiers find themselves in the front

line and the road down which the

Japanese are pouring south it is a

strong defensive position it should hold

out for weeks the young Indian recruits

expect an infantry attack but the

Japanese have another surprise in store

tanks

imagine the scene monsoon rain

absolutely pouring down and suddenly

down the red comes this where you can

hear it from a distance

amongst the rain the clanking of the

tracks and the squeaking of the turret

and suddenly then again through you you

know it's not a happy position to be in

not surprising people began to wonder

what was going on under what to do next

as the Japanese tanks charged ahead of

Yamashita's bicycle army terrified

Indian soldiers break ranks and flee

into the jungle you as a young man from

the Punjab sitting in a jungle in Malaya

with the monsoon rain pouring on top of

you you haven't had sleep for four days

you've been shot at you've been bombed

from the air your officers have been

killed you need to be a pretty

sophisticated young man to say to us of

hang on I'm here for a real purpose here

the Japanese were not expected to have

tanks they were hopeless pathetic tanks

but they were more than equal to us

because we had none

the British had no tanks they dismay

they were very upset about the tanks

Perceval has not got any tanks because

the Chiefs of Staff in London thought

they would not work in the Malayan to

range

now with his troops fleeing into the

jungle he is forced to withdraw he has

lost the first major land battle to hold

the enemy up Perceval orders his

engineers to blow up steel bridges in

your Master's path but with stocks of

British explosives falling into Japanese

hands they need to find a method that

makes their dwindling supplies go

further by eking out their explosives to

demolish as many bridges as they can

Percival's engineers gained him vital

time to dig in more reinforcements are

on their way but they won't arrive for

two weeks

Percival must hold your master until

then the ace in his hand is his superior

artillery at camp are halfway down the

Malayan Peninsula he finally manages to

get his big guns into a defensive

position and trains them on your masters

charging army

for the first time

general Percival is calling the shots

with the help of his artillery he holds

up the Japanese blitzkrieg for six days

a master is outgunned and outnumbered

his chief of staff recommends Paul's

bring up more people and then mount a

set-piece attack you know hate with what

we used to call hey diddle-diddle done

straight down the middle like that he

doesn't want to do that Percival's

artillery is well dug in among the hills

of Kanpur in central Malaya her master

decides not to wait for reinforcements

but to immediately employ the Skorpion

maneuver he sends one column forward to

grip the British in its claws then he

sends another column through the jungle

to attack them from behind this is the

lethal sting in the scorpion maneuver

and it totally banjaxed and through the

British who hadn't come across the

select act of cheating what he was

attacking was the psychology of the

enemy and and the enemy the British were

surrendering or giving up when they were

out numbering their enemy by ten to one

they had dared mentally run away from

the battle omastar writes this entry in

his diary New Year's Day 1942 my duty is

half done though success is still a

problem I would like to achieve my plan

without killing too many of the enemy

with the loss of camp our Percival is

caught between a rock and a hard place

his frontline troops are disheartened

and exhausted

thousands of bewildered and injured

soldiers flee into the jungle whole

battalions are wiped out

Perceval decides to change tack he will

turn two feet into victory Katka

operational withdrawals can be very

sound military maneuvers they can be the

precursors to victory and there's

nothing wrong with having a planned

withdrawal if everybody understands what

the point of it is and and when it's

going to happen and if you do it when

you want to do it as opposed to when

you're forced to do it

Percival decides to withdraw giving up

the central Malayan states and the

capital Kuala lumper to you master he

wants to concentrate his defenses in the

south where new troops are waiting to

hold the line as Percival retreats you

master chases him he left it was

actually leapfrog these people he had

their reserves so there wasn't much left

up all rest involved the focus of taking

a division out of the line for a week to

have a Kip

they were pretty tired and of course

time is not on his side in a sense that

he doesn't know what reinforcements are

coming

control of the bridges is vital as they

race south omastar has to take them

before Percival can blow them up he

relies on his soldiers to take the

initiative

twenty-two-year-old sudden oh boo

Watanabe rises to the challenge in one

morning he leaves his tank four times to

cut explosive charges on bridges with

his saber then he leads a cavalry charge

against the enemy all guns blazing

virtually wiping out two companies about

250 mm at the next bridge he shoots

through the fuse wire with a machine gun

he's captured five bridges in six hours

but such heroics are not enough

your master fears Percival's bridge

demolitions could delay the attack on

Singapore by six months impatient for

victory he also turns to his engineers

for help

how can he cross rivers fast if the

bridges are down Captain Bob stork of

the Royal Engineers wants to improvise a

bridge quickly with the materials that

Japanese had in the jungle he's asked a

local rugby team to help okay guys the

Japanese engineers have got to come up

with some kind of rapid solution to

cross all the gaps that the British are

making the gap itself just behind you is

about waist-high of water close your

eyes and picture the scene you've got

two minutes to come up with a solution

starting from now go Bob's team start by

building piers to support their bridge

floating away

it only takes 15 minutes but it's not

quick enough in a fast-moving battle

every second counts

okay well doing that was very very good

okay but it was over time and it was

over engineered the Japanese come up

with a novel way to speed up their work

they use humans as bridge props the ways

that yapanese did it was just used in

the engineers the actual sappers as the

piers themselves so what we're going to

try and do is lash two of these logs the

large logs together once they're

actually lashed together going to pick

them up on our shoulders and then

position ourselves in stream and we're

going to do that in two minutes right

let's go come on then guys let's show it

we can prove it there's have some good

type bindings guys let's hold it nice

and tight

hold it take the pain hold it okay guys

that was two and a half minutes well

done good teamwork okay well don't fight

improvising like this you master crosses

river after river soon only a thin line

of Percival's defenders stands between

him and singapore island now Percival's

Australian troops enter the frame

they immediately make their mark they

ambush and kills 700 cyclists most with

their guns still tied to their

handlebars

it is a good start and in a further

boost Percival's reinforcements are

beginning to arrive when you send troops

to a new theater of war it's terribly

important to give them time literally to

acclimatize but it wasn't like that in

Singapore Percival's new recruits are

thrown straight into battle with no time

to adapt to fighting and surviving in

tropical conditions some pay a heavy

price at Muir the newly arrived 45th

Indian Division faces a deadly variation

of you masked his scorpion maneuver the

Japanese Imperial Guards attack them

from the front as your master lands more

troops by boat thirty kilometers to

their rear cutting off their retreat the

4,500 strong Brigade is white at only

900 men managed to escape through the

jungle to safety now you're matched as

fanatical soldiers reveal a darker side

his imperial guards torture captured

enemy soldiers and then Massacre them

cutting off their heads with their

samurai swords it is one of several

atrocities where your master does not

step in to punish his troops if soldiers

get out of hand they need to be brought

back under hand very sharply and very

quickly and he had the power to do it in

the Japanese army you could have a chap

executed just like that and he could

have made an example of these guys in a

way that he didn't and I think he was

morally at fault in that sense

a worried Percival writes to his

superiors January the 26th 1942 consider

general situation becoming grave may be

driven back into the island within a

week

Singapore Island sits at the bottom of

the Malayan Peninsula and is linked to

it by a causeway on the last day of

January 1942 a piper leads Percival's

troops in a final retreat onto the

island they blow up the causeway behind

them turning the island into a fortress

the battle for Malaya is over the battle

for Singapore is about to begin there

you are you've closed up you've got

everybody that you own and you've got a

very specific and clear task to defend

Singapore now until you get reinforced

again you have no more major decisions

to make really now you have to fight the

battle for the defense of Singapore in

just eight weeks

your masters forces have advanced over

1,000 kilometres for ninety five battles

and repaired two hundred and fifty

bridges it is an extraordinary feat but

he has only 30,000 troops and percival

has three times as many men holed up on

Singapore Island the British had a huge

base in Singapore and it was stock rahem

in nishan food it was it was a massive

base the master has a couple of options

which is stop here bring up my tail

regroup rest get everyone ready click my

kit together and then either sit there

and starve them out you hope or mount an

attack a lot of the cards are stacked

against him so it's a formidable

undertaking your master decides to

strike fast but where

to the east by Percival is stronger but

the beaches are easier to land on or to

the west where British troops are

thinner on the ground but landings would

have to be made in treacherous mangrove

swamps the mangrove swamps had all the

elements of potential disaster because

of the ability to control what's going

on with guys wandering around in the

mangrove in the dark being fired on all

the elements of potential disaster are

to land in the mangrove swamp it's the

most difficult thing to do it's the

least obvious thing to do therefore it's

the right thing to do yah master decides

to launch a diversionary attack to the

east to confuse Percival then sent his

main force across the Straits in small

boats to attack through the thick

mangrove under cover of darkness he

readies a flotilla of boats for his

secret invasion Percival is daunted by

the challenge facing him how was he

going to defend Singapore against an

attack from a direction that he couldn't

possibly predict with certainty he had

70 miles of coastline to defend and by

this stage he couldn't in any way be

certain that the Japanese wouldn't load

troops into ships and come round the

bottom so he had to defend the whole

perimeter and he didn't have enough

troops for all this but in London

Winston Churchill is unsympathetic he

sends this message I want to make it

absolutely clear and I expect every inch

of ground to be defended

every scrap of material or defenses to

be blown to pieces to prevent capture by

the enemy and no question of surrender

to be entertained until after protracted

fighting in the ruins of Singapore city

Percival spreads troops around the

entire coast by trying to defend

everywhere he may not be strong enough

anywhere on February the 5th 1942

omastar launches his diversionary attack

then while Percival is distracted he

mounts his main invasion sending his

boats across the jeho Strait under cover

of artillery fire within an hour your

master's troops have come ashore to

surprise the defenders in the mangrove

swamps the British are overwhelmed and

begin to fall back

your master pushes on towards Singapore

City

again the Japanese have got inside the

decision loop of totally discommode the

British and are rampaging to Singapore

City as you master breaks through his

lines

Percival loses control of his troops

British and Australian soldiers desert

on mass heading to town and riot

civilians flee in boats as fast as they

can

there is panic chaos and confusion

Percival considers surrender but

Churchill is adamant there must be no

thought of saving the troops or sparing

the population the battle must be fought

to the bitter end at all costs

commanders and senior officers should

die with their troops the honour of the

British Empire and the British Army is

at stake these are the sort of messages

that if they were again to be said at

all would you know have been opening

gambit sort of battle cries the

beginning of the campaign your areas of

charging people up with the notion that

they're going to be victorious from the

outset but by this stage even the most

optimistic people know that the game is

up

Perceval is on the ropes but your master

is also worried he is running out of

bullets and fears a street by street

fight for Singapore City which he might

lose it's not a totally foregone

conclusion he is clever enough and wily

enough to recognize that unit he's not

stupid all the time he's thinking maybe

they're gonna pull something off maybe

I'm going to run at her monition and my

guys are going to get massacred or bled

white fighting in a built-up area

Perceval attempts to counter-attack with

tired and confused Australian troops the

attack fails after five days all

Percival's troops are now trapped in

Singapore city they have enough food for

a week but your masters planes have

bombed pipelines and reservoirs and they

are running out of water

general Percival faces the hardest

decision of his life fight to the death

or surrender as your masters troops

besieged Singapore City the lifelines of

Percival's army are strangled

he sends his last signal to his

superiors owing to losses from enemy

action water petrol food and ammunition

practically finished unable therefore to

continue the fight any longer all ranks

have done their best

Percival decides to surrender in

defiance of Churchill I think any

fighting man when is done what he can

doesn't like in the end to know that

he's lost and it is had to put his hands

up

it's not something that you want to do

and you do feel ashamed about it

Percival agrees to meet your master to

discuss terms

now your master needs to pull off one

final bluff

and at the end he was down to the last

few runs and keeps actually balanced on

a knife hit he thinks that when Percival

comes suggest surrender that Percival is

going to demand his surrender at the

negotiations when personally sort of

Havering and trying to sort of cut deals

he says are you going to surrender or

not inside you can just imagine the

tension building up all these guys gonna

talk me out of it and so he's got to

bring this to a stop this hard large

overbearing guy who's saying giving a

world of wipe you off the face of the

earth must have been quite alarming it's

very interesting to speculate what would

have happened had personal said well I'm

not gonna surrender you better fight for

it

now first of all surrendering at the end

of his first and only senior command in

battle he would have been internally

wondering what he did wrong what could

he have done better to have stopped it

poor man must have been dismayed that he

had lost Singapore for Britain after an

hour

Perceval signs an unconditional

surrender your master has taken the

island and the whole of Malaya with the

loss of only nine thousand six hundred

men

the Japanese fate him is the tiger of

Malaya his morals may be questionable

but his generalship is not fantastical

treatment in my view I can't think of

any mistakes or bad decisions in a rush

to makes and throughout the campaign and

he's a faultless performance I I really

can't think of have any mistakes that he

makes actually Churchill calls it the

worst disaster and the largest

capitulation in British history 120,000

British troops are killed or captured

Percival Kelley did make mistakes but

show me a general anywhere in military

history who does not make mistakes and

I'll show you someone who's got delusion

because you know we all make mistakes

generals all the time

and it's certain that a different

general would have done it differently

would the outcome have been

substantially different who can tell

general Percival's spent the rest of the

war as a captive of the Japanese before

returning to a quiet life in England

general Yamashita went on to fight in

the Philippines after the war he was

tried for atrocities committed by his

soldiers he was found guilty and hanged