Notes

Adolf Hitler: Born on April 1889 in braunau , Austria
Formed a NAZI party on 1919
Wrote Mein Kampf in 1924
Became dictator pf Germany in 1933
Germans looked to him to make Germany strong again

Rise of Italy
While hitler was building Germany ,the same was happening in Italy
Fascist party was the only party
Establish a dictatorship in Italy
Secret police arrested on opposition
Use of propaganda
Public programmes
Ambitious plans for Italy

Background of WWII
Germany was a humiliated country after WWI
The whole world was under the Great depression
Japan was a little country with little natural resources,which was slowly being depleted

Germany
Invaded Poland in 1938 to start WWII
partnered with Italy ,under Mussolini to form the axis powers
Conquered most of the Europe Except for Britain and Russia

Why Japan went to war
Wanted to become masters of Asia
Asia for Asians
Greater East Asia co-prosperity spheres
Needed raw materials for industry
Embargo from USA posed threat to Japans war effort
Assumed that the Europeans would be too busy fighting in Europe to protect their asian colonies
Joined the Axis powers in Sep 1940

Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour
Occured on 7 Dec 1941, just a few hours after japanese troops landed in Malaya
Americans were caught unprepared and Pearl Harbour was undefended
Many ships were destroyed and thousands of men lost their lives
This prevented the americans from stopping the japanese in the pacific

Japan's march through Asia
Signed treaty of friendship with Thailand
Started attack on Malaya on 8 Dec 1941 and bombed Singapore on the same day
Singapore finally fell on 15 Feb 1942
The japanese were being led by General Tomoyuki Yamashita an able and strong commander

Significant Milestones
Sinking of HMS repulse and HMS prince of wales

Reasons for Japan invasion in SEA
The japanese wanted to be the masters of Asia
Japan shared Germany's ambition pf conquering more territories for itself (During this time,Japan was under military government)
While Germany wanted to become masters of Europe , Japan wanted to become the master of Asia and the pacific Region
Therefore they wanted to achieve their ambitions through their campaign of "Asia for Asians"or rather "The Great East Asia co-prosperity sphere"and wanted to free SEA from the colonial rules and develop them

Singapore-Impregnable Fortress
British had built large Naval base
Military airfields for air force
Gun positions set up for defence along the coast to defend against a sea invasion
Underground bunkersfor shelter
Hms repulse and hms prince of wales

Were the people in Singapore confident about british defences in Singapore
British started preparing to resist Japanese expansion since 1920s
Large naval bases built in Singapore(completed in 1938)
"White man"superiority -believed that the british were superior as it had large overseas empire.Hence,it could defend against the Japanese

Reasons for the British Defeat
Occupied with defending homeland in Europe
Unprepared to fight the Japanese in Asia
Underestimated Japanese military
Japanese had a superior military force
Japanese force led by a strong leader
-Yamashita

High morale pf the Japanese soldiers
Japanese military preparedness and superiority in arms was never challenged
They planned their attacks to inflict MAXIMUM damage
Destruction of the American fleet at Pearl Harbour
Allies of the british
the invasion of SEA
Therefore Japan was confident of launching 'simultaneous attacks in SEA on the same day as Pearl Harbour bombing as she knew that she would not be stopped by the Americans

British unpreparedness and lack of military supplies
British was not well-prepared for a land attack by the Japanese forces
For example,combined allied forces were unable to prevent the Japanese from advancing in the north-west landings
British were caught up with the war in Europe needed to defend homeland

Japanese military preparedness and superiority
Japanese military was very well trained and well equipped
Japanese were generally better in jungle warfare ,large modern air force and naval fleet
e.g.Japanese Zero fighters vs Britains brewsters

Priority of the British
British considered Europe and North Africa than than war in Asia and Pacific region
Britain was fighting for its life against Germany and Italy,Thus defence of SEA colonies were not their topmost priority
They used most of the military supplies for Britain

Promise of the "Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere"
Japanese propanganda weakened the defenses of Malaya and Singapore
Their claim for an "Asia for Asians"helped to gained some some cooperationfrom the local people
This made it easier and quicker for the Japanese to advance through Malaya and defeat british within 8 weeks as they faced less resistance from the locals

FINAL QUOTE
In the words of Lee Kuan Yew...
"My colleagues and I are of that generation of young men who went through the second world war and the Japanese occupation and became determined that no one-neither the Japanese nor the British have the rights to push and kick us around.We determined that we could govern ourselves and bring up our children in a country where we can self - respecting people

End of WWII
Dropping of Atomic Bomb
Hiroshima and Nagasaki on 6 and 8 August 1945 respectively

Return of the British
A british Military Administration was set up on 12 sep 1945 (one month after surrender)until april 1946