RI Y2 Fall of Singapore 2020 (For students) Module 3

3. MILITARY CAPABILITIES

BRITISH LAND FORCES MALAYACOMMAND • Indian III Corps • Malaya Regiment • 53rd Infantry Brigade AUSTRALIAN ARMY • 8th Division • 120,000 troops in total  Nature and impact?

BRITISH LAND FORCES Poorly equipped, with no access to tanks and had few anti-tank guns

BRITISH AIR: THE AMERICAN -BUILT BREWSTER BUFFALO •T op Speed: 504 km/h •Range: 1,555 km •Rate of Climb: 2,300 feet per minute •Service Ceiling: 33,202 ft •Armament: 4 x 7.7 mm aircraft machine guns

BRITISH NAVAL POWER Despite initial plans to send a fleet of seven battleships to the Far East, only two were sent to Malaya • Prince of Wales • Repulse

JAPANESE FORCES: LAND AND AIR 25th ARMY • Imperial Guards • 5th Division • 18th Division • IJA 3rd Air Corps • 3 Sentai of the IJA 5th Air Corps • IJN 22nd Air Flotilla INTENT The ENY intent is to secure SEA so as to exploit resources

JAPANESE ZERO FIGHTER • T op Speed: 570 km/h • Range: 1,920 km • Rate of Climb: 3,100 feet per minute • Service Ceiling: 37,730 feet • Armament: 2 x 20mm Type 99-1 Cannon, plus 2 x 7.7 mm aircraft machine guns

BRITISH VS. JAPANESE FORCES British Brewster Buffalo Japanese Zero Fighter T op Speed: 504 km/h Range: 1,555 km Rate of Climb: 2,300 feet per minute Service Ceiling: 33,202 feet Armament: 4 x 7.7 mm aircraft machine guns T op Speed: 570 km/h Range: 1,920 km Rate of Climb: 3,100 feet per minute Service Ceiling: 37,730 feet Armament: 2 x 20mm Type 99-1 Cannon, plus 2 x 7.7 mm aircraft machine guns Why did Singapore fall to the Japanese?

JAPANESE FORCES IN MALAYA • In contrast, the Japanese army was a homogeneous force of 70,000 battle-hardened soldiers • Most of the Japanese soldiers had lots of experience fighting in China, and had trained extensively in the jungles of Taiwan • Japanese forces were well equipped with tanks • The Japanese Air Force possessed the fearsome Zero fighter, which could turn better and faster than any plane the Allies possessed

JAPANESE HA -GO LIGHT TANK protection psychological effect