80th Anniversary - Attack on Pearl Harbour

The 7th December 2021 (Honolulu time), marks the 80th anniversary of the infamous attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese. Allowing for the change in the International Date Line, it was the 8th December in the Western Pacific including Australia. In a coordinated attack, not only did the Japanese attack Pearl Harbor but also Hong Kong, the Philippines and Northern Malaya (now Malaysia).

Japanese light tanks used effectively in their invasion of the Malay Peninsula

The Japanese were war hardened veterans from their invasion of Manchuria in 1937. They had time to plan, train their soldiers and develop superior weapons including tanks and aircraft. The world reacted to the Manchuria situation by placing embargoes on Japan but this only served to increase Japan’s resolve to expand into countries that provided raw materials such as rubber, tin and oil. But to do this, first they had to rid themselves of the colonial powers in the region, particularly, the British based in Singapore.

Although Japan’s aggressive posturing was causing concern to the War Cabinet in London, England was preoccupied with the war in Europe and North Africa. Limited men and primarily outdated equipment (some from WWI) were sent to Singapore to assist. Australia sent two brigades from the 8th Division as part of its commitment.

When Japan invaded Northern Malaya, the British (Allied) Forces including India and Australia, were no match. Very quickly, the Japanese overpowered the air force and with no air cover, the use of tanks and increased mobility with the use of bicycles, the Japanese swept down through the Malay Peninsula causing the Allied soldiers to retreat. And by the end of January 1942, the last of the Allied soldiers had escaped across the Causeway between Malaya and Singapore into Singapore.

Japanese used bicycles to advance quickly down the Malay Peninsula

It was a little over a week later when finally, on the 8th February, after a major bombardment of the Allies’ northern coastal positions, the Japanese finally made a night assault on Singapore, in an area defended by the war weary Australian 22nd and 27th Brigades.

A week later, on the 15th February, the Allies were forced to surrender and over 80,000 soldiers became prisoners of war of the Japanese. And so began a brutal three and a half years for these men, at the hands of the Japanese.

Japan’s aggression would result in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of military and civilian personnel from both sides including nearly 18,000 Australians and untold destruction would occur.

Allied Surrender Party - 15th February 1942, Ford Factory, Bukit Timah, Singapore