The Worst Defeat of the British Empire : Battle of Singapore

In 1941, Japan advanced into Southeast Asia, trying to gain a powerful naval base built by Britain in Singapore.
Britain knew this, but it was not enough to respond because it had already deployed troops to battlefields in Africa and Europe.
The British army of 85,000 men was led by Lieutenant General Arthur Percival, while the Japanese regiment of 36,000 men was headed by Lieutenant General Tomoyuki Yamashita.
On the same day that Japan was attacking Pearl Harbor, the Japanese simultaneously bombed the Royal Air Force bases to the north of Singapore on the Malay coast.
In addition to the British and Australian forces, the allied forces of Indian and Southeast Asian colonies collapsed before the rapid deployment of well-trained Japanese troops and powerful tanks.
In the Battle of Singapore, the worst defeat in British military history, Percival Command suffer around 5,000 killed, 10,000 wounded, and 80,000 captured.

[@wakyIIsr]

This is when the image of the powerful British empire was crushed by an Asian power

[@yellowpete79]

Wrong, "simultaneously bombing" , Singapore and Malaya were bombed before Pearl.

[@thesandboxbandit3838]

Its crazy to think that Japan and Germany could have won the war if they didn't bite more than they can chew.

[@hajime2k]

Britain had ZERO tanks for this. Oh and sporting WW1 and 1920's planes to be sliced up by the Japanese Zeros. And of course hit with Japan's bicycle blitzkrieg. The sheer arrogance/ignorance of the British was astounding.

[@King_of_Railways]

The main thing was, they've lost two battleships before! So no protection could be achieved!😮😢

[@chrisk7118]

Australians were responsible for the fall of Singapore not the English.

[@yellowpete79]

A common lie, go read some books. There was even a report by military police that stated English troops had raided Australian stores and were wearing their uniforms.

[@tigerland4328]

​@@yellowpete79which English troops were these ?

[@tigerland4328]

Most of the 80,000 "British" troops that fought in Malaya and Singapore were actually Indian and Australian. Although a British division did arrive in 1942

[@campfiresnlasguns]

Me, a Singaporean, will say no. The Commonwealth forces fought valiantly but the command structure for it was inadequate. The Imperial Japanese army likewise made a ploy that diverted the bulk of the Commonwealth forces towards eastern Singapore. Penetration from the East was made likelier by the geographical presence of Pulau Ubin & Pulau Tekong. They left many of the Australian forces to guard western Singapore whom British command may have perceived to be weaker and perhaps more expendable than British soldiers. The Japanese penetrated into western Singapore and that caught the Australians and British High Command completely offguard. The Aussies slogged it out in the night but were alas unsuccessful with many retreating since the bulk of the forces was in the east. That said, logistical support may have likewise neglected the westside so the resolve to fight evaporated quickly.
The Commonwealth forces outnumbered the Japanese but lost because British High Command caved into Japan's bluff. A failure in the command was the ultimate reason for defeat, not nationality and certainly not just the Australians. This is reiterated in our schools and in our military.

[@tigerland4328]

@@campfiresnlasguns lieutenant General percival has a lot to answer for. Almost any other British commander would have held Singapore

[@jackvetra2844]

Seems like the British army had a hard go. The British army has a habit of letting itself be defeated. After all some rag-tag minute men army if colonist citizens who liked tea.
Lessons learnt don't mess with our tea

[@tigerland4328]

Most of the "British" troops in Malaya and Singapore were actually Indian and Australian. Only one British Division(as in soldiers from the UK) took part in the battle.