A Rising Sun over Tropical Seas
The Fall of Singapore
With the escape of the Evacuation Convoy, the British garrison at Singapore is reduced to 16,000 men, including 2,500 hospitalized wounded (stretcher cases not evacuated). The British only have 9 reduced strength or composite infantry battalions and a few artillery pieces and armored cars left, and have had to retreat to the final defense position aside from a scratch force holding the reservoir. The Japanese however were seriously disorganized by the counterattack on February 10, and suffered very heavy losses in their amphibious craft. Thus the British gain several days while the Japanese funnel their forces and supplies across the Straits of Malacca with a quarter of the planned and assembled boats.
Thus it is not until February 16 that the Japanese are finally ready to launch their final attack. The Imperial Guard leads the way, taking the Pierce and then MacRitchie Reservoir and inflicting 3,000 British casualties while suffering a similar number of Japanese casualties. By early morning of the 17th the British have lost control of the water supply for Singapore, and it is now clear to General Heath that the end has come. A party is sent under flag of truce to the lines held by the Japanese 18th Division, which is rapidly nearing Government House. The surviving British garrison of 12,000, including 5,500 wounded, surrenders shortly after noon on February 17 and with that General Yamashita has secured a major prize for Japan.
The British Malaya Force, which had nearly 135,000 men committed in all, loses nearly 9,000 dead or missing and another 49,000 have been captured (including nearly 9,000 wounded many of whom die quickly in Japanese captivity). But over 60,000 sailors, marines, airmen and soldiers have been evacuated successfully (although over 4,000 die at sea or not long after evacuation) including cadres for the Australian 8th and Indian 11th Divisions, as well as the Indian III Corps. But the loss of the 9th Indian and 18th British infantry divisions, not to mention essentially an entire tactical air force (as far as aircraft are concerned) is a major British disaster. Far more devastating is the severe blow to British prestige that has been inflicted.
The Fall of the Dutch East Indies
By February 19th, the ABDA surface naval forces have been driven away or destroyed. American, British and Australian air forces have been wrecked and can no longer offer meaningful resistance, and the Dutch have only the survivors of their air forces, their garrison troops, and a few assorted American and British anti-aircraft battalions in Java and a small Australian force in Timor remain.
The shattering Japanese raid on Darwin on February 19 finishes the hopes of any further reinforcement and makes it clear that now Australia itself is in danger. At the same time, the British are suffering defeat in Burma, having just lost an important battle at the Bilin River, and it is increasingly clear that the Japanese will likely take Rangoon within weeks at most. With the British forced to focus what resources that remain in Burma and India, while the Americans and Australians are forced to focus their energies on Australia, New Guinea and Hawaii, there is almost nothing left to help the Dutch.
By March 12, the Japanese have overwhelmed the Dutch and remaining Allied troops and secured the Dutch East Indies. The only remaining resistance is a small Australian commando force that will continue to wage a guerrilla war in the jungle mountains of Timor for months to come.
With the Fall of the Dutch East Indies and Malaya, as well as occupation of Siam and French Indochina, plus the Fall of Rangoon on March 7 and the beginning of a headlong retreat by surviving British and Indian forces in Burma, the the Japanese Centrifugal Offensive has been brought to a victorious conclusion.
Only the American and Filipino forces in the Philippines are still holding out as of March 13, 1942 and their future is grim. The rest of the great European colonial empires in Southeast Asia have been overwhelmed by an Asian enemy which is now establishing its own empire.
But the Japanese still have several weeks of campaign weather before the Southern Monsoon hits, and a British Empire in disarray in India and Burma.
With the escape of the Evacuation Convoy, the British garrison at Singapore is reduced to 16,000 men, including 2,500 hospitalized wounded (stretcher cases not evacuated). The British only have 9 reduced strength or composite infantry battalions and a few artillery pieces and armored cars left, and have had to retreat to the final defense position aside from a scratch force holding the reservoir. The Japanese however were seriously disorganized by the counterattack on February 10, and suffered very heavy losses in their amphibious craft. Thus the British gain several days while the Japanese funnel their forces and supplies across the Straits of Malacca with a quarter of the planned and assembled boats.
Thus it is not until February 16 that the Japanese are finally ready to launch their final attack. The Imperial Guard leads the way, taking the Pierce and then MacRitchie Reservoir and inflicting 3,000 British casualties while suffering a similar number of Japanese casualties. By early morning of the 17th the British have lost control of the water supply for Singapore, and it is now clear to General Heath that the end has come. A party is sent under flag of truce to the lines held by the Japanese 18th Division, which is rapidly nearing Government House. The surviving British garrison of 12,000, including 5,500 wounded, surrenders shortly after noon on February 17 and with that General Yamashita has secured a major prize for Japan.
The British Malaya Force, which had nearly 135,000 men committed in all, loses nearly 9,000 dead or missing and another 49,000 have been captured (including nearly 9,000 wounded many of whom die quickly in Japanese captivity). But over 60,000 sailors, marines, airmen and soldiers have been evacuated successfully (although over 4,000 die at sea or not long after evacuation) including cadres for the Australian 8th and Indian 11th Divisions, as well as the Indian III Corps. But the loss of the 9th Indian and 18th British infantry divisions, not to mention essentially an entire tactical air force (as far as aircraft are concerned) is a major British disaster. Far more devastating is the severe blow to British prestige that has been inflicted.
The Fall of the Dutch East Indies
By February 19th, the ABDA surface naval forces have been driven away or destroyed. American, British and Australian air forces have been wrecked and can no longer offer meaningful resistance, and the Dutch have only the survivors of their air forces, their garrison troops, and a few assorted American and British anti-aircraft battalions in Java and a small Australian force in Timor remain.
The shattering Japanese raid on Darwin on February 19 finishes the hopes of any further reinforcement and makes it clear that now Australia itself is in danger. At the same time, the British are suffering defeat in Burma, having just lost an important battle at the Bilin River, and it is increasingly clear that the Japanese will likely take Rangoon within weeks at most. With the British forced to focus what resources that remain in Burma and India, while the Americans and Australians are forced to focus their energies on Australia, New Guinea and Hawaii, there is almost nothing left to help the Dutch.
By March 12, the Japanese have overwhelmed the Dutch and remaining Allied troops and secured the Dutch East Indies. The only remaining resistance is a small Australian commando force that will continue to wage a guerrilla war in the jungle mountains of Timor for months to come.
With the Fall of the Dutch East Indies and Malaya, as well as occupation of Siam and French Indochina, plus the Fall of Rangoon on March 7 and the beginning of a headlong retreat by surviving British and Indian forces in Burma, the the Japanese Centrifugal Offensive has been brought to a victorious conclusion.
Only the American and Filipino forces in the Philippines are still holding out as of March 13, 1942 and their future is grim. The rest of the great European colonial empires in Southeast Asia have been overwhelmed by an Asian enemy which is now establishing its own empire.
But the Japanese still have several weeks of campaign weather before the Southern Monsoon hits, and a British Empire in disarray in India and Burma.