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63-435: [REDACTED] 25th Army 1941 1942 Second Sino-Japanese War Taishō period Shōwa period Asia-Pacific Mediterranean and Middle East Other campaigns Coups The Malayan campaign , referred to by Japanese sources as the Malay Operation ( 馬来作戦 , Maree Sakusen ) , was a military campaign fought by Allied and Axis forces in Malaya , from 8 December 1941 – 15 February 1942 during
126-699: A Prime Minister of Australia . Reflecting on his country's geopolitical situation with the onset of war , Menzies commented that: "The problems of the Pacific are different. What Great Britain calls the Far East is to us the near north." Far East , in its usual sense, is comparable to terms such as the Orient ( Latin for "East"), Eastern world , or simply the East , all of which may refer, broadly, to East and South-East Asia in general. Occasionally, albeit more in
189-691: A 'slash and run' attack was developed by Lieutenant-General Claire Lee Chennault of the Flying Tigers but was too late for the Allied pilots serving in this campaign. Two days before the attack on Malaya, Hudsons of No 1 Squadron RAAF spotted the Japanese invasion fleet but, given uncertainty about the ships' destination and instructions to avoid offensive operations until attacks were made against friendly territory, Sir Robert Brooke-Popham , Commander-in-Chief of British Far East Command , did not allow
252-808: A British intelligence officer, Captain Patrick Stanley Vaughan Heenan , also provided intelligence and assistance. Prior to hostilities Japanese intelligence officers like Iwaichi Fujiwara had established covert intelligence offices (or Kikans ) that linked up with the Malay and Indian pro-independence organisations such as Kesatuan Melayu Muda and the Indian Independence League . The Japanese gave these movements financial support in return for their members providing intelligence and later assistance in determining Allied troop movements, strengths, and dispositions prior to
315-483: A Japanese raid which disabled or shot down all but one. The sole surviving bomber, a Bristol Blenheim flown by Arthur Scarf , did manage to bomb Singora. No 62 squadron had been moved from Alor Star to Butterworth, and on 10 December it was moved to Taiping. On 10 December, No 21 Squadron RAAF was withdrawn from Sungai Petani to Ipoh, where it was joined on 13 December by No 453 Squadron RAAF. No 453 Squadron had been sent to protect Force Z on 10 December, but arrived after
378-624: A minimum of fuel and run on high-octane aviation petrol where available. The remaining offensive aircraft consisted of four RAF squadrons of Bristol Blenheim MkI and MKIV light bombers ( 27 , 34 , 60 , 62 Squadrons), two RAAF squadrons ( 1 and 8 ) of Lockheed Hudsons , and two RAF squadrons of Vickers Vildebeest biplane torpedo bombers ( 36 and 100 ). The Vildebeests were obsolete and due to be replaced by modern Bristol Beaufort torpedo bombers. No 36 Squadron had some Fairey Albacore biplanes. There were also two Consolidated Catalina flying boats of 205 Squadron and three Catalinas from
441-503: The British Indian Army and several British Army battalions. The Japanese quickly isolated individual Indian units defending the coastline, before concentrating their forces to surround the defenders and force their surrender. The Japanese forces held a slight advantage in numbers on the ground in northern Malaya, and were significantly superior in close air support , armour , co-ordination, tactics and experience, with
504-476: The Indian Army and several British Army battalions. The Japanese quickly isolated individual Indian units defending the coastline, before concentrating their forces to surround the defenders and force their surrender. The Japanese forces held a slight advantage in numbers in northern Malaya and were significantly superior in close air support , armour, co-ordination, tactics, and experience, having fought in
567-651: The Royal Netherlands East Indies Army Air Force at Singapore. The squadrons were beset by numerous problems including inadequate spare parts and a lack of support staff, airfields that were difficult to defend against air attack with no early warning of impending attacks, a lack of a clear and coherent command structure, a Japanese spy in the Army air liaison staff (Heenan), and antagonism between RAF and RAAF squadrons and personnel. The Japanese through their network of informants knew
630-600: The Second World War . It was dominated by land battles between British Commonwealth army units and the Imperial Japanese Army , with minor skirmishes at the beginning of the campaign between British Commonwealth and Royal Thai Police . The Japanese had air and naval supremacy from the opening days of the campaign. For the British, Indian, Australian , and Malayan forces defending the colony,
693-451: The Second division of Squadron 5 , Royal Netherlands East Indies Army Air Force was deployed to Singapore, contributing to the Allied cause before being recalled to Java on 18 January. Several Dutch pilots—including Jacob van Helsdingen and August Deibel —responded to a number of air raids over Singapore while stationed at Kallang Airport. They claimed a total of six aircraft, particularly
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#1732773394583756-543: The colonial era , Far East referred to anything further east than the Middle East. In the 16th century, King John III of Portugal called India a "rich and interesting country in the Far East ( Extremo Oriente )." The term was popularized during the period of the British Empire as a blanket term for lands to the east of British India . In pre- World War I European geopolitics, Near East referred to
819-592: The 100th Light Tank Squadron of the Indian Army), none of which were sufficiently armed for armoured warfare . They had just over 250 combat aircraft; half of these would be lost in the first few days of combat. When the Japanese invaded Malaya it was part of expansive attack all across the Pacific and South East Asia, stretching from Pearl Harbor and islands in the Pacific, the Philippines , Hong Kong , Burma , Singapore , Borneo , and Thailand . Between
882-747: The 15th century, particularly the British , denoting the Far East as the "farthest" of the three "Easts", beyond the Near East and the Middle East . Likewise, during the Qing dynasty of the 19th and early 20th centuries, the term " Tàixī ( 泰西 )" – i.e., anything further west than the Arab world – was used to refer to the Western countries. Since the mid-20th century, the term has mostly gone out of use for
945-661: The 25th Army launched an amphibious assault on the northern coast of British Malaya on 8 December 1941. Japanese troops landed at Kota Bharu and advanced down the eastern coastline of the Malay Peninsula . This was made in conjunction with landings at Pattani and Songkhla in Thailand , where units then proceeded south overland across the Thailand-Malayan border to attack the western portion of Malaya. The Japanese were initially resisted by III Corps of
1008-613: The 5th Air Corps took part in the Malaya Campaign. In total there were 354 Imperial Japanese Army Air Service (IJAAS) first line aircraft involved together with the 110 Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service (IJNAS) aircraft. The Army units were variously equipped with fighters: Nakajima Ki-27 Nate , Nakajima Ki-43 Oscar , Mitsubishi Ki-51 Sonia ; bombers: Kawasaki Ki-48 Lily , Mitsubishi Ki-21 Sally , Mitsubishi Ki-30 Ann ; and reconnaissance: Mitsubishi Ki-15 Babs , Mitsubishi Ki-46 Dinah . Most Japanese pilots of
1071-411: The Allied ground troops and shipping completely open to air attack and further weakened the defensive position. The Genzan Air Group sank Prince of Wales and Repulse on 10 December, which also established Japanese naval supremacy. In comparison, the Japanese army enjoyed close air support from the start of the campaign, and sought to capture bases for their air support to operate from. On 25 December,
1134-904: The Australians to the west of Gemas, one of the bloodiest battles of the campaign began on January 15 on the peninsula's West coast near the Muar River . Bennett allocated the weak 45th Indian Brigade (a new and half trained formation) to defend the river's South bank but the unit was outflanked by Japanese units landing from the sea and the Brigade was effectively destroyed with its commander, Brigadier H. C. Duncan , and all three of his battalion commanders killed. On 20 January, further Japanese landings took place at Endau , in spite of an air attack by Vildebeest bombers . The final Commonwealth defensive line in Johore of Batu Pahat – Kluang – Mersing
1197-464: The Australians, the Japanese experienced their first major tactical setback, due to the stubborn resistance put up by the Australians at Gemas . The battle, centered on the Gemensah Bridge , proved costly for the Japanese, who suffered up to 600 casualties but the bridge itself, which had been demolished during the fighting, was repaired within six hours. As the Japanese attempted to outflank
1260-740: The British Indian Army, was implemented on 8 December, but the troops were easily defeated by the Royal Thai Police and the Japanese 5th Division. Force Z of the Royal Navy ( battleship HMS Prince of Wales , battlecruiser HMS Repulse , and four destroyers , under the command of Admiral Sir Tom Phillips ) had arrived right before the outbreak of hostilities. Japanese aircraft based in Indochina sank Prince of Wales and Repulse on 10 December, leaving
1323-918: The IJAAS units and at least a quarter of the IJNAS pilots had combat experience against the Chinese and the Soviets. They were all very well trained. Prior to the commencement of hostilities the Allies in Malaya and Singapore had four fighter squadrons: 21 and 453 RAAF , 243 RAF , and 488 RNZAF . They were equipped with the Brewster Buffalo , a plane that aviation historian Dan Ford characterized as pathetic. Its engine had fuel starvation problems and poor supercharger performance at higher altitudes. Maneuverability
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#17327733945831386-529: The Japanese advance at the Battle of Kampar for a few days, which was followed by the disastrous Slim River battle , in which two Indian brigades were practically annihilated. By mid-January the Japanese had reached Johore where, on 14 January, they encountered troops from the Australian 8th Division , commanded by Major-General Gordon Bennett , for the first time in the campaign. During engagements with
1449-649: The Japanese had been engaged for four years in trying to subjugate China . They were heavily reliant on imported materials for their military forces, particularly oil from the United States. From 1940 to 1941, following the Japanese takeover of French colonies the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands imposed embargoes on supplying oil and war materials to Japan. The object of
1512-554: The Japanese invasion fleet at Endau on 26 January, suffering heavy losses. The surviving aircraft were evacuated to Sumatra on 31 January. In mid-January, the three Sentai of the 5th Air Corps returned to Thailand to participate in the Burma Campaign and the 3rd Air Corps turned its attention to the Netherlands East Indies. In the end, more than 60 Brewster aircraft were shot down in combat, 40 destroyed on
1575-692: The Japanese only had a cluster of dated foreign and indigenous aircraft. Japanese pilots were also underrated, considered unlikely to make particularly good pilots. Prior to the invasion on 8 December there were 75 Allied aircraft stationed in northern Malaya and 83 in Singapore. The only fighter squadron in northern Malaya was No 21 Squadron RAAF that was equipped with 12 Brewster Buffalos. The Japanese had at least 459 aircraft available. The Japanese Navy's 22nd Air Flotilla (22nd Kōkū-Sentai) with 110 aircraft and commanded by Vice Admiral Matsunaga Sadaichi operating out of three air bases near Saigon took part in
1638-454: The Japanese units having fought in China . The Japanese also used bicycle infantry and light tanks , which allowed swift movement of their forces overland through the terrain that was covered with thick tropical rainforest . After defeating British and Indian troops at Jitra Japanese forces supported by tanks moved south from Thailand on 11 December, overwhelming British defenses. Penang
1701-851: The Maur River. All the Martins and one of the Wirraways were lost. No 243 Squadron RAF, equipped with Buffalo fighters, was disbanded on 21 January and 232 Squadron became operational on 22 January, the same day the Genzan Air Group attacked Kallang Airport. 232 Squadron thus had the first losses and victories for the Hurricane in Southeast Asia that day. Most of the bombers were moved to Sumatra midway through January. Aircraft from 36, 62, and 100 Squadrons unsuccessfully attacked
1764-818: The Nakajima Ki-27 "Nate". However, the appearance of ever greater numbers of Japanese fighters, including markedly superior types such as the Nakajima Ki-43 "Oscar" soon overwhelmed the Buffalo pilots, both in the air and on the ground. While contesting the Japanese landings on Malaya , Hudsons from No. 1 Squadron RAAF based at Kota Bharu became the first aircraft to make an attack in the Pacific War , sinking Japanese transport ship Awazisan Maru , while also damaging Ayatosan Maru and Sakura Maru off
1827-631: The Nakajima Ki-27 Nate, which fared poorly in Malaya. On 3 January 1942, 51 disassembled Hurricane Mk IIBs arrived in Singapore along with 24 pilots (many of whom were veterans of the Battle of Britain) who had been transferred to there with the intention of forming the nucleus of five squadrons. The 151st Maintenance unit assembled the 51 Hurricanes within two days and of these, 21 were ready for operational service within three days. The Hurricanes were fitted with bulky 'Vokes' dust filters under
1890-697: The Second Sino-Japanese War. The Allies had no tanks, which had put them at a severe disadvantage. The Japanese also used bicycle infantry and light tanks , which allowed swift movement of their forces overland through terrain covered with thick tropical rainforest , criss-crossed by native paths. Although the Japanese had not brought bicycles with them (to speed the disembarkation process), they knew from their intelligence that suitable machines were plentiful in Malaya and quickly confiscated what they needed from civilians and retailers. A replacement for Operation Matador, named Operation Krohcol by
1953-565: The campaign was a total disaster. The operation is notable for the Japanese use of bicycle infantry , which allowed troops to carry more equipment and swiftly move through thick jungle terrain. Royal Engineers , equipped with demolition charges, destroyed over a hundred bridges during the retreat, yet this did little to delay the Japanese. By the time the Japanese had captured Singapore , they had suffered 14,768 casualties; Allied losses totaled 130,246, including around 7,500 to 8,000 killed, 11,000+ wounded and 120,000+ missing or captured. By 1941
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2016-404: The coast of Kota Bharu, for the loss of two Hudsons, at 0118h local time (an hour before the attack on Pearl Harbor ). The Squadron was transferred to Kuantan the following day. By 9 December, Japanese fighters were operating out of Singora and Patani, Thailand, and Kota Bharu airfield was in Japanese hands. The Allies tried to attack Singora airfield. The bombers were intercepted on take-off by
2079-472: The coast of Malaya on 10 December 1941, losing one aircraft and its crew during the battle. On 22 January 1942, bombers from the Genzan Air Group attacked Kallang Airport in Singapore , and subsequently provided air support for Japanese offensives in Malaya including the landings at Endau . The Japanese 3rd Air Corps ( 飛行集団 , Hikō Shudan ) and three Air Combat Groups ( 飛行戦隊 , Hikō Sentai ) of
2142-402: The convoy to be bombed. On the first day, the focus of the Japanese air assault was on the Allied air bases. Mitsubishi Ki-21 Sally s from the 7th Hikodan bombed the airfields at Alor Star , Sungai Petani, and Butterworth . A total of 60 Allied aircraft were lost on the first day, primarily on the ground. Those Allied fighters that did manage to engage the Japanese performed adequately against
2205-562: The defence of the whole peninsula, and that the naval base alone would not be sufficient to deter a Japanese invasion. Military planners concluded that the desired Malayan air force strength would be 300–500 aircraft, but this was never reached because of the higher priorities in the allocation of men and material for Britain and the Middle East . The defence strategy for Malaya rested on two basic assumptions: first, that there would be sufficient early warning of an attack to allow for reinforcement of British troops, and second, that American help
2268-493: The east coast of Malaya exposed, allowing the Japanese to continue their invasion. As a lower-priority theatre, the Allies had comparatively few modern aircraft to challenge the Japanese. In addition the Allies did not consider Japanese aircraft a significant threat. In 1941 the Allies assumed that Japan would only have a few hundred poor quality outdated aircraft. The respected Janes All the World's Aircraft for 1941 indicated that
2331-584: The easternmost portion of the Asian continent, including East , North , and Southeast Asia . South Asia is sometimes also included in the definition of the term. In modern times, the term Far East has widely fallen out of use and been substituted by Asia–Pacific , while the terms Middle East and Near East , although now pertaining to different territories, are still commonly used today. The term first came into use in European geopolitical discourse in
2394-596: The embargoes was to assist the Chinese and encourage the Japanese to halt military action in China. The Japanese considered that pulling out of China would result in a loss of face and decided instead to take military action against US, British and Dutch territories in South East Asia. The Japanese forces for the invasion were assembled in 1941 on Hainan Island and in French Indochina . This troop build-up
2457-417: The general name 'Far East.' Americans who reached China, Japan and Southeast Asia by sail and steam across the Pacific could, with equal logic, have called that area the 'Far West.' For the people who live in that part of the world, however, it is neither 'East' nor 'West' and certainly not 'Far.' A more generally acceptable term for the area is 'East Asia,' which is geographically more precise and does not imply
2520-491: The ground, and approximately 20 more destroyed in accidents. Only about 20 Buffalos survived to reach India or the Dutch East Indies. The last airworthy Buffalo in Singapore flew out on 10 February, five days before the island fell . The RAAF and RNZAF fighter squadrons left for Sumatra and Java at the beginning of February. Twenty-Fifth Army (Japan) The Japanese 25th Army ( 第25軍 , Dai-nijyūgo gun )
2583-406: The initial attacks on Malaya. The 22nd Air Flotilla included the 22nd (Genzan) , Bihoro, and Kanoya Air Groups (or Kōkūtai ). They were equipped with 33 Type 96 Mitsubishi G3M 1 'Nell' bombers. The Air Flotilla also had 25 Type 96 Mitsubishi A5M4 'Claude' fighters available. The Genzen Air Group was a key participant in the sinking of the British capital ships Prince of Wales and Repulse off
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2646-601: The invasion. Through the operation of these networks prior to the invasion the Japanese knew where the Commonwealth forces were based and their unit strengths, had good maps of Malaya, and had local guides available to provide them with directions. In November 1941, the British became aware of the large scale buildup of Japanese troops in French Indo-China. Thailand was seen to be under threat from this build-up as well as Malaya. British strategists had foreseen
2709-459: The northern coast of Malaya at Kota Bharu and started advancing down the eastern coast of Malaya. The Japanese 5th Division also landed at Pattani and Songkhla in Thailand , then moved south into western Malaya. French Indo-China was still under French administration, and had little option but to co-operate with the Japanese. The French authorities therefore submitted to the Japanese military using
2772-567: The nose and were armed with 12, rather than eight, machine guns. The additional weight and drag made them slow to climb and unwieldy to maneuver at altitude, although they were more effective bomber killers. The recently arrived pilots were formed into 232 Squadron . In addition, 488 (NZ) Squadron, a Buffalo squadron, converted to Hurricanes. On 18 January, the two squadrons formed the basis of 226 Group . The following day 453 squadron provided an escort of eight aircraft for five Wirraways and four NEI Glenn Martin bombers , attacking Japanese troops on
2835-861: The outdated notion that Europe is the center of the civilized world. Today, the term remains in the names of some longstanding institutions, including the Far Eastern Federal University in Vladivostok , Far Eastern University in Manila , the Far East University in South Korea, and Far East , the periodical magazine of the Missionary Society of St. Columban . Furthermore, the United States and United Kingdom have historically incorporated Far East in
2898-604: The past, the Russian Far East and South Asia have been deemed to be part of the Far East. Commenting on such terms, John K. Fairbank and Edwin O. Reischauer (both professors of East Asian Studies at Harvard University ) wrote, in East Asia: The Great Tradition : When Europeans traveled far to the east to reach Cathay , Japan and the Indies , they naturally gave those distant regions
2961-529: The possibility of Thailand's Kra isthmus being used by the Japanese to invade Malaya. To counteract this potential threat, plans for a pre-emptive invasion of southern Thailand, named Operation Matador , had been drawn up. By the time the invasion became highly likely the British decided not to use them for political reasons. The Malayan campaign began when the 25th Army , under the command of Lieutenant General Tomoyuki Yamashita , invaded Malaya on 8 December 1941. Japanese troops launched an amphibious assault on
3024-464: The region in international mass media outlets due to its perceived Eurocentric connotations. North Asia is sometimes excluded due to cultural and ethnic differences. The term is still used in Russia to refer to its sparsely populated easternmost regions (being "far" in this case from the political, economic and cultural centres, Moscow and Saint Petersburg ). Among Western Europeans, prior to
3087-762: The relatively nearby lands of the Ottoman Empire , Middle East denoted north-western Southern Asian region and Central Asia , and the Far East meant countries along the western Pacific Ocean and eastern Indian Ocean. Many European languages have analogous terms, such as the French ( Extrême-Orient ), Spanish ( Extremo Oriente ), Portuguese ( Extremo Oriente ), Italian ( Estremo Oriente ), German ( Ferner Osten ), Polish ( Daleki Wschód ), Norwegian ( Det fjerne Østen ) and Dutch ( Verre Oosten ). Significantly,
3150-597: The situation grew increasingly desperate of Japanese forces towards the middle of 1945, the IJA 25th Army came under the operational control of the Japanese Seventh Area Army , and its headquarters was transferred to Bukittinggi in the highlands of central Sumatra , which it held until the surrender of Japan in August 1945. Far East The Far East is the geographical region that encompasses
3213-493: The stationing of a strong fleet at the Singapore Naval Base in the event of any enemy hostility, in order to defend both Britain's Far Eastern possessions and the route to Australia . A strong naval presence was also thought to act as a deterrent against possible aggressors. By 1940, however, the army commander in Malaya, Lieutenant-General Lionel Bond , conceded that a successful defence of Singapore demanded
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#17327733945833276-495: The strength and disposition of Allied aircraft before they invaded. Many of the pilots lacked adequate training and experience. For example, 20 of the original 169 Buffalos were lost in training accidents during 1941. Those fighter pilots with experience had been trained in methods that were very effective against German and Italian fighters but suicide against the acrobatic Japanese Nakajima Ki-43 "Oscar" and Mitsubishi A6M "Zero" fighters. A counter tactic of avoiding dog fights with
3339-407: The term evokes cultural as well as geographic separation; the Far East is not just geographically distant, but also culturally exotic. It never refers, for instance, to the culturally Western nations of Australia and New Zealand, which lie even farther to the east of Europe than East Asia itself. This combination of cultural and geographic subjectivity was well illustrated in 1939 by Robert Menzies ,
3402-501: The territory's ports as naval bases, building air bases, and massing forces there for the invasion. Japan also coerced Thailand into co-operating with the invasion, though Thai troops resisted the landings in Thai territory for eight hours. At 04:00, 17 Japanese bombers attacked Singapore , the first ever air raid on the colony. It became evident to the British that Japanese bombers based in Indochina were now within range of Singapore. The Japanese were initially resisted by III Corps of
3465-703: The wars, the British military strategy in the Far East was undermined by a lack of attention and funding. In 1937, Major-General William Dobbie , General Officer Commanding (GOC) Malaya (1935–39), looked at Malaya's defences and reported that during the monsoon season, from October to March, landings could be made by an enemy on the east coast and bases could be established in Siam (Thailand). He predicted that landings could be made at Songkhla and Pattani in Siam, and Kota Bharu in Malaya. He recommended large reinforcements to be sent immediately. His predictions turned out to be correct, but his recommendations were ignored. The British government's plans relied primarily on
3528-872: The warships were sinking. On 15 December both Squadrons were pulled back to Kuala Lumpur, receiving replacement aircraft for those shot down or destroyed. Within the first week of the campaign the Japanese had established air superiority. On 19 December the bombers were moved to Singapore, with No 62 Squadron being re-equipped with Hudsons. One pilot—Sergeant Malcolm Neville Read of No. 453 Squadron RAAF—sacrificed himself by ramming his Buffalo into an Oscar of 64th Sentai over Kuala Lumpur on 22 December. Continued Japanese dominance eventually forced both Squadrons back to Singapore on 24 December, where they were merged until more replacement aircraft could be obtained. No 64 Squadron had run out of aircraft and its surviving ground-crew and airmen were shipped to Burma. RAAF No 1 and No 8 squadrons were amalgamated due to aircraft losses. This left
3591-440: Was an army of the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II , noted for its role in the Malayan Campaign , the Battle of Singapore , and the Occupation of Sumatra . The Japanese 25th Army was formed on 5 July 1941 under the Imperial General Headquarters . It was transferred to the control of the Japanese Seventh Area Army under the Southern Expeditionary Army Group on 6 November 1941. The Battle of Malaya began when
3654-430: Was at hand in case of attack. By late 1941, after Lieutenant-General Arthur E. Percival had taken over as GOC Malaya, it became clear that neither of these assumptions had any real substance. In addition, Churchill and Roosevelt had agreed that in the event of war breaking out in South East Asia , priority would be given to finishing the war in Europe . The east, until that time, would be a secondary priority. Containment
3717-455: Was bombed daily by the Japanese from 8 December, and abandoned on 17 December. Arms, boats, supplies and a working radio station were left in haste to the Japanese. The evacuation of Europeans from Penang, with local inhabitants being left to the mercy of the Japanese, caused much embarrassment for the British and alienated them from the local population. Kuala Lumpur fell unopposed on 11 January 1942. The 11th Indian Division managed to delay
3780-452: Was considered the primary strategy in the east. Planning for this offensive was undertaken by the Japanese Military Affairs Bureau's Unit 82 based in Taiwan. Intelligence on Malaya was gathered through a network of agents which included Japanese embassy staff; disaffected Malayans (particularly members of the Japanese-established Tortoise Society ); and Japanese, Korean, and Taiwanese business people and tourists. Japanese spies, which included
3843-522: Was noticed by the Allies and, when asked, the Japanese advised that it related to its operations in China. When the Japanese invaded, they had over 200 tanks , consisting of the Type 95 Ha-Go light tank, Type 97 Chi-Ha and Type 89 I-Go medium tanks and Type 97 Te-Ke tankettes. In support they had nearly 800 aircraft available. Commonwealth troops were equipped with the Lanchester 6x4 Armoured Car , Marmon-Herrington Armoured Car , Universal Carrier and only 23 obsolete Mk VIB light tanks (in
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#17327733945833906-420: Was now being attacked along its full length. On 27 January 1942 Percival received permission from the commander of the American-British-Dutch-Australian Command , General Archibald Wavell , to order a retreat across the Johore Strait to the island of Singapore . Following the successful capture of Malaya and Singapore, the IJA 25th Army served primarily as a garrison force for the occupied territories. As
3969-409: Was poor and the engine tended to overheat in the tropical climate, spraying oil over the windscreen. In service, some effort was made to improve performance by removing the armour plate, armoured windshields, radios, gun camera, and all other unnecessary equipment, and by replacing the .50 in (12.7 mm) machine guns with .303 in (7.7 mm) machine guns. The fuselage tanks were filled with
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