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Japanese Imperial Expansion

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The Japanese imperial expansion was a major cause of the battle in Singapore. In 1940, Japan allied itself with the Axis powers and by 1941, Japan had effectively been engaged in a 10-year campaign of expansion in East Asia in the quest for much needed resources, especially oil. Before expanding further into South-East Asia, Japan wanted to remove the threat of the US Navy based at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. This surprise attack was the beginning of war in the Pacific on the 7th of December 1941. In just two bombings the Japanese had accomplished the sinking or damaging of 21 American ships, destroyed 188 aircraft and damaged 159, killed nearly 2400 American military personnel and wounded over 1000 people (including civilians). This surprise attack caused the fall of signore attack, uniting America to work for the Allied military victory, as until this attack they were divided over the question of involvement in the war.…show more content…
By this time the Japanese had begun their attack on Singapore, the island at the southern end of the Malay Peninsula and the home of Britain’s navy in Asia. The Japanese attack on Singapore began on 8th February and within six days had reached Singapore city. Japanese soldiers made their way through the Malay jungle towards Singapore, with Japanese aircraft bombing Singapore’s key sites, at the same time. The British army was convinced the Japanese assault would come from the sea, to the south of the island and had fortified its coastal defenses accordingly. It was a fatal miscalculation. On the 8th forces streamed into Singapore across the narrow straights of Jahore, on the island’s north west. The British troops were unable to reach the beaches in time to stop the Japanese and the Australian defenders were spread to thinly and were quickly forced back by wave after wave of Japanese invaders. The Australians suffered many long and short term consequences of the fall of Singapore. The Japanese attacks surprised and demoralized the
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