AMKSS Chpt 5 (sec 1 hist)

A NG M O K IO S ECONDARY S CHOOL S ECONDARY 1 H ISTORY C HAPTER 5 – F ALL OF S INGAPORE IN WWII (S UMMARY ) Name: _____________________________ ( ) Class: _______ Date: __________ By the end of these chapter, you should know: □ Why Singapore fell to the Japanese during World War II (WWII) Background • In the 1920s, the British Empire comprised over a quarter of the world’s land, spread across different continents. However, the British had been severely weakened by World War I (WWI) and could no longer maintain a permanent military force in Asia. • The British decided to construct a large, modern naval base in Asia to defend the British colonies in Asia. The British chose to set up this base in Singapore because of Singapore’s strategic geographical location and its importance as a port. • The British planned to send their naval fleet to the base to protect its overseas empire in the event of a war. While the naval fleet was on its way to Singapore, Singapore would have to rely on the other local defences such asthe coastal defence guns. This was known as the “Singapore Strategy” . • Many in Singapore believed that Singapore was an “impregnable fortress” because of the amount of British defences built in Singapore. • By 1930s, the British faced serious threat from two countries – Germany in Europe, and Japan in Asia-Pacific – as these countries also tried to expand and build up an empire of their own. • On 15 February 1942, Lieutenant-General Arthur E. Percival signed the surrender documents in front of General Tomoyuki Yamashita at the Ford Motor Factory. Singapore officially fell to the Japanese. Page | 1 Why did Singapore fall to the Japanese during World War II (WWII)?

| British Weaknesses | F ACTOR [S TATE ] W HAT IS THE FACTOR ABOUT ? [D ESCRIBE /E XAMPLES ] British priorities in Europe • When war broke out in Europe, the British needed all its defences to protect itself against Germany . The British could not afford to send the large naval fleet to Singapore as planned . The British could only send Force Z (including 2 battleships named HMS Repulse and HMS Prince of Wales), but it was too weak to fulfil the “Singapore Strategy”. British overconfidence • The British did not sufficiently prepare for attacks from the north from Malaya . The British thought that