I felt compelled to visit the Chiangi Museum And Chapel due to my interest in WWII history and a recent viewing of the underrated film, King Rat (the 1965 film starring George Segal) based on James Clavell's novel, King Rat. It is based on Clavell's three-year experience as a prisoner under brutal conditions. The occupation of the Japanese was brutal and not unlike any of their other occupations. I learned that they took Singapore the same day they bombed Pearl harbor and attacked from across the strait from Malaysia catching the British off guard and was felt as strongly among the British as Pearl Harbor was among Americans. It altered the dominant image of the British forever in Asia.
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Actually the Fall of Singapore was on 15th Feb 1942. Japanese offensive operations on the Malayan Peninsula commenced simultaneously with Pearl Harbor. With over 120,000 British and Commonwealth Dominion troops surrendering en masse, it was by far the biggest capitulation in the 300 year history of the British Army.
Posted by: Peter | August 18, 2011 at 10:20 PM
Point taken, my info was from the exhibits-so I may have misinterpreted what I read. I have yet to read a definitive account of the Pacific War, but plan to soon.
Posted by: MC | August 19, 2011 at 10:25 AM