Battle Of Singapore

Singapore was undoubtedly one of the best-defended British strongholds in the area when World War II broke out in the east. As the Japanese empire was rapidly militarizing, they had spent a significant amount of the interwar period on its defenses, particularly in the navy department. But none of that would really be able to deter the Japanese from attacking.

Japanese forces, numbering approximately 23,000, landed on the island and established a beachhead on February 8, 1942, signaling the start of the assault. The Japanese enjoyed nearly complete air superiority over the area despite being outnumbered by the British by a ratio of more than three to one because of their earlier territorial conquests in Malaysia.

By February 15, the entire British-led force had to submit to the Japanese elite units since the infantry divisions were no match for them. On that day, more than 90,000 allied troops were captured; many of them would subsequently perish in a Japanese POW camp due to the atrocities there.

Date: 8–15 February 1942
Location: Singapore, Straits Settlements

Result: Japanese victory
Territorial changes: Japanese occupy Singapore