The Rising Sun over the Lion City (February 1942)

William Henry Giles,

February 14, 1942.

All is lost now. The Japanese troops have reached the center of the Singapore. In less than 100days, the British has been pushed back all the way from northern Malaya to Singapore. How is this even possible? The Japanese army just seems too powerful and invincible, no matter how strongly the British defended or counterattack, all their actions seem futile and were easily swept away by advancing Japanese. At the beginning of the war, we were told that the Japanese soldiers were incapable of jungle warfare, half blind and feeble, but the ‘feeble’ enemy was hammering the British blows after blows of defeat. Even with the British numerical advantage in both men and heavy artillery by 3 to 1, they were not able to stop the Japanese. The Japanese made up the disadvantage in heavy guns by capturing British guns and use it against them.

The swiftness of the Japanese attack down south was staggering. Bicycle infantry troops were able to out-maneuver the British defensive position. Furthermore, the Japanese infantry were being supported by tanks and aircrafts. By comparison, the British had no tanks at all and planes they had, the Brewster buffalos were outclassed by the Japanese Zero fighters. Naval support for the British vanished after the sinking of the only 2 warships in the region on the 10^th Dec, 1941.

The last ship departed Singapore on the 12^th of Feb; escaping the colony now is impossible. Surrender is most likely going to happen soon as all the reservoirs on island, the only water supply to Singapore has been severed. British rule on the island is over and now begins Japanese rule.