British during the japanese occupation in singapore?

Question

how did the british react when Japanese invaded and how did the british feel and what events took place which effected the british greatly.

Answer 1

Singapore was full of expatriates who did not believe that Singapore would fall when the Japanese invaded Malaysia. They thought the jungle was impenetrable when actually it consisted of well laid out rubber planatiations that the Japanese could cross quite easily. The behaviour of the British civilians was quite incredible - they went on as though there was no war drinking in their clubs etc.

When it became apparent that the Japanese would occupy the City - the defence was incompetently conducted (the British had more troops, including Australians etc., than the invading Japanese) the British, both civilians and military, panicked and tried to get away in any boat, of whatever size, they could.

General Perceval, the British commander, thought surrendering would be civilised as in Western Europe and gave up when it became apparent the city could not be held, instead of fighting to the last man (which would have been much more sensible given the number of troops who died in captivity). He headed a parade of defeated British troops through the city, which was good propaganda for the Japanese.

The reality of course was quite different. The Japanese had nothing but contempt for the British who need not reach their standards of military chivalry. All the British, military and civilians of both sexes and whatever age, were taken into captivity and transported or marched, in bad conditions, to appalling camps. From that point the British had to use all their resources simply to stay alive - they had no choice as to how to react.

The fall of Singapore was felt as a humiliation in the United Kingdom. In many ways it was the beginning of the end of the British Empire.

Answer 2

The British had to flee of the unstoppable Jap troops, nevertheless the British felt it was for the best interest to protect the British Empire which was under attacked from the Hitler of Germany, that was why they had to surrender and with the atomic bombs that hit Nagasaki and Hiroshima, or some called it miracle bomb that once for all closed the WWII chapter in Asia. Well the lesson to be learned here is to have own country and not to have big mouth to eat at people's land!

Answer 3

was a big shock for the british empire as singapore was regarded invinicble due to its many big artillery batteries....unfortunately the heavy guns were aiming at sea and the japanese forces came from the other direction on land...

well some of the commanding officers had to step down.

also the british lost a lot of reputation despite they came back into rule after the war .. however it accellerated independence of singapore.

Answer 4

The British surrender in Singapore was one of, if not the largest, defeats of the empire in all its history.