Embedded Files
15 February 1942.
"Singapore has fallen...."
- Prime Minister Winston Churchill on BBC radio, 16 February 1942
Video Documentaries
(NEW!) ROOTS.sg have produced several visual and graphic episodes on the Fall of Singapore. This is a good place to start!
Episode 1: The Singapore Strategy
Episode 2: The Battle for Singapore
Episode 3: British Surrender and Japanese Occupation
Episode 4: Japan's Surrender and Victory Celebrations
(NEW!) Watch now! Stunning first-hand video clips capturing the final days of Singapore in 1942 and the sensational Japanese attack!
(NEW!) Explore one of the many WWII battle sites in Singapore!
(NEW!) Battlefield - Fall of Singapore documentary. Full and detailed examination of a terrible military disaster.
(NEW!) Why was this regarded as Britain's worst military disaster ever!
(NEW!) ABC News marks the 75th anniversary of the Fall of Singapore with this newscast. Countless Australian young men were involved in defending Singapore in 1942. We appreciate their help indeed.
Here are some very rare colour footage of the fall of Singapore in three parts
The Fall of Singapore: A Great Betrayal (BBC documentary)
Japan's War (in colour)
Japan of the 1930s (10 min, in Japanese)
The Rise of Imperial Japan (10 min)
No Prisoners: The Fall of Singapore
Generals at War: Battle for Singapore
The Fall of Singapore and Malaya (Discovery Channel) - Part 1 Part 2
70th Anniversary of the Fall of Singapore
The Japanese invasion of Malaya. A History Channel documentary in 4 minutes.
War Museums in Singapore
The battle for and the fall of Singapore to the invading Japanese Imperial Army in February 1942 is an event deeply embedded into the local Singapore psyche. It is commemorated annually on the island as part of the Total Defence Day activities in all schools.
But more than a landmark "national-education" event, the collapse of "Fortress Singapore" was a very dark and ignominious chapter in British imperial history. The story of this "largest capitulation" (as Churchill lamented) has been studied, dissected, analysed and revised by many historians.
But don't take their word for it!
Visit one of the many excellent little museums all over the island to discover for yourself why Singapore fell in 1942.
The Changi Museum
This compact museum is superbly organised, and is replete with artefacts, photographs and documents which provide a rich learning experience for anyone wanting to learn about life as a Prisoner-of-war during the Japanese Occupation.
There is a good bookstore here, as well as a nicely stocked library often visited by the families of ex-servicemen from the United Kingdom and Australia, searching for more information about their loved ones.
Admission charges:
Free
Old Ford Factory Museum
Situated in the actual Ford factory along Bukit Timah road, where General Percival signed the terms of surrender on 15 February 1942, this museum is a must-visit for history buffs and enthusiasts. It documents the last days in the battle for Singapore.
Admission charges:
$3 for adults; free for children under 6 years old.
Reflections at Bukit ChanduHoused in an old colonial bungalow in the Bukit Chandu/Kent Ridge estate, this museum commemorates the heroic deeds of the Malay Regiment and Lieutenant Adnan, in the struggle for Singapore.
Admission charges:
Free for all nationalities.
This is a short 10-min clip on the Battle of Bukit Chandu. Fairly standard heroic perspective on Lt. Adnan. With English subtitles.
A more studied approach is taken by the National Archives of Singapore and Nanyang Polytechnic here; the reputation of Adnan is intact.
A Malaysian-made movie on Adnan appeared in 2000.
The debate persists even today: is Lt. Adnan a hero of Malaysia or Singapore?
Battle Box This is the actual historic site of the Allied High Command during the Battle for Singapore. It was here that General Arthur Percival directed the defence of the island colony in those darkest days of the war. The underground tunnels and bunkers are well worth the visit, if you can stomach the slightly high ticket price.
Admission charges:
$18 for adults; $9 for children.
Fort Siloso Singapore's only preserved military fort still looks the way it did when it was deployed in active military service.Located on the eastern reaches of Sentosa Island, you will have several pleasant hours of exploration here.
Admission charges:
$6 for adults ($5 for all local residents)
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