Singapore fights back.

At the end of the Malayan campaign Commonwealth forces had withdrawn to Singapore IOTL. We also know that the beseiging Japanese forces were smaller and ill supplied (hindsight). What if it was decided to launch an attack from Singapore instead of surrendering?
 
Even not attacking right away, the IJA was not well positioned for siege operation of any length or urban assault

Yes, a bold UK commander may have attacked to retake the reservoirs with little chance of success, but Percival was not that man.
 

Jack Brisco

Banned
Even not attacking right away, the IJA was not well positioned for siege operation of any length or urban assault

Yes, a bold UK commander may have attacked to retake the reservoirs with little chance of success, but Percival was not that man.

I wonder if there could have been any worse choice for that position than Percival. Think of it, reminds me of Paulus at Stalingrad.
 
As I stated in Keynes' Cruisers, Percival was a good staff officer (otherwise, he wouldn't have been appointed commander in Singapore), but put him in a leadership position and he was in over his head. BTW, read that TL for a successful defense of Singapore/Malaya (of course, there are other factors in play)...
 
I wonder if there could have been any worse choice for that position than Percival. Think of it, reminds me of Paulus at Stalingrad.


Think of this. In 1941,Orde Wingate get sent to Jahor to form something similar to Gideon Force, since it's a quiet, out of the way place to put him after he pissed off Wavell
 

Jack Brisco

Banned
Think of this. In 1941,Orde Wingate get sent to Jahor to form something similar to Gideon Force, since it's a quiet, out of the way place to put him after he pissed off Wavell


Yup, politics wins out over common sense and logic. Still happens, in all militaries, to this day.
 
Would this not be an ideal opportunity to bring the Japanese to battle within reach of supplies? A battle of attrition has to be ideal to draw down the Japanese and exhaust their supplies at the end of an attenuated line of supply which is under resourced anyway. Japan has fought a campaign (and I imply no disservice to either side) of over sized small unit actions but has never been forced into a classic army v army set piece. From Singapore mobility can be trumped by fire power. What the Commonwealth forces have to do is not break through the Japanese but to keep them engaged until they are exhausted.

What are the implications in Burma?
 
Think of this. In 1941,Orde Wingate get sent to Jahor to form something similar to Gideon Force, since it's a quiet, out of the way place to put him after he pissed off Wavell

Wingate pissed off Wavell, & got sent off to a back water... Sounds familiar. Hobart was finishing up organizing the Western Desert Force for the Egyptian frontier, when Wavell succeeded in getting him relieved and retired.
 
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