On 15 February 1942, Singapore fell to the Japanese. It was a devastating defeat for the Allies, a shattering blow to British prestige and a turning point in world history. The myth of Western invincibility had been destroyed.James Leasor traces the story back to the early nineteenth century, when Sir Stamford Raffles established a British settlement on the island. He follows Singapore’s rise as an imperial stronghold and reveals the political complacency, strategic misjudgements and military failures that left the supposedly impregnable fortress vulnerable to attack.Drawing on first-hand testimony from many of those at the heart of events, including Lieutenant-General Arthur Percival, who signed the surrender and spoke to Leasor shortly before his death, Singapore: The Battle That Changed the World is a compelling account of the disaster that transformed the balance of power in Asia and hastened the decline of the British Empire. When Singapore fell to the Japanese on 15 February 1942, it was a devastating blow to the Allies, the British Empire and signalled a significant turning point in history. It was the greatest defeat for Britain since Cornwallis surrendered at Yorktown in the American War of Independence. Its impact was arguably even greater.
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