Japanese order of battle during the Malayan Campaign

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The Japanese Imperial Army landed the 25th Army under the command of General Tomoyuki Yamashita on the east coasts of Malaya and Thailand on the night of 7 December 1941.

Tomoyuki Yamashita general in the Imperial Japanese Army

Tomoyuki Yamashita was a Japanese general of the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II. Yamashita led Japanese forces during the invasion of Malaya and Battle of Singapore, with his accomplishment of conquering Malaya and Singapore in 70 days earning him the sobriquet The Tiger of Malaya and led to the British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, calling the ignominious fall of Singapore to Japan the "worst disaster" and "largest capitulation" in British military history. Yamashita was assigned to defend the Philippines from the advancing Allied forces later in the war, and while unable to stop the Allied advance, he was able to hold on to part of Luzon until after the formal Surrender of Japan in August 1945.

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History

The Japanese Imperial Army invaded Malaya and Thailand on 7 December 1941. The conquest of Malaya was completed in less than three months when Singapore surrendered on 15 February 1942. The Japanese Twenty-Fifth Army under General Tomoyuki Yamashita was given the task of conquering Malaya.

British Malaya Former set of states on Malay Peninsula

The term "British Malaya" loosely describes a set of states on the Malay Peninsula and the island of Singapore that were brought under British control between the 18th and the 20th centuries. Unlike the term "British India", which excludes the Indian princely states, British Malaya is often used to refer to the Malay States under indirect British rule as well as the Straits Settlements that were under the sovereignty of the British Crown.

Thailand Constitutional monarchy in Southeast Asia

Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand and formerly known as Siam, is a country at the centre of the Southeast Asian Indochinese peninsula composed of 76 provinces. At 513,120 km2 (198,120 sq mi) and over 68 million people, Thailand is the world's 50th largest country by total area and the 21st-most-populous country. The capital and largest city is Bangkok, a special administrative area. Thailand is bordered to the north by Myanmar and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the west by the Andaman Sea and the southern extremity of Myanmar. Its maritime boundaries include Vietnam in the Gulf of Thailand to the southeast, and Indonesia and India on the Andaman Sea to the southwest. Although nominally a constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy, the most recent coup in 2014 established a de facto military dictatorship.

Singapore Republic in Southeast Asia

Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island city-state in Southeast Asia. It lies one degree north of the equator, at the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, with Indonesia's Riau Islands to the south and Peninsular Malaysia to the north. Singapore's territory consists of one main island along with 62 other islets. Since independence, extensive land reclamation has increased its total size by 23%. The country is known for its transition from a developing to a developed one in a single generation under the leadership of its founder Lee Kuan Yew.

Order of Battle Japanese 25th Army on 8 December 1941

Imperial Guards Division

The Imperial Guards Division made its first appearance in the Malayan Campaign during the Battle of Muar where it destroyed the 45th Indian Brigade and inflicted heavy casualties on the two supporting Australian infantry battalions. The Imperial Guards took part in the Battle of Singapore.

Battle of Muar

The Battle of Muar was the last major battle of the Malayan Campaign during the Second World War. It took place from 14–22 January 1942 around Gemensah Bridge and on the Muar River. After the British defeat at Slim River, General Archibald Wavell, commander of ABDA, decided that Lieutenant General Lewis Heath's III Indian Corps should withdraw 240 kilometres (150 mi) south into the State of Johore to rest and regroup, whilst the 8th Australian Division would attempt to stop the Japanese advance.

Battle of Singapore World War II battle

The Battle of Singapore, also known as the Fall of Singapore, was fought in the South-East Asian theatre of World War II when the Empire of Japan invaded the British stronghold of Singapore—nicknamed the "Gibraltar of the East". Singapore was the major British military base in South-East Asia and was the key to British imperial interwar defence planning for South-East Asia and the South-West Pacific. The fighting in Singapore lasted from 8 to 15 February 1942, after the two months during which Japanese forces had advanced down the Malayan Peninsula.

5th Infantry Division

The 5th Division faced the brunt of British defences throughout the Battle of Malaya and participated in the invasion of Singapore. The 5th Division landed at Patani and Singora in Thailand on 7 December 1941 and then proceeded to attack down the west coast of Malaya. The 41st Regiment of 5th Division suffered heavy casualties at the Battle of Kampar when the 11th Indian Division set up an artillery and infantry ambush, but a few days later the 5th Division managed to destroy the 12th Indian and 28th Gurkha Brigades of the 11th Indian Division at the Battle of Slim River between 6 and 8 January 1942. The 11th and 41st Regiments of 5th Division suffered heavy casualties at the hands of the Australian 8th Division at the ambush at Gemencheh Bridge.

Battle of Kampar

The Battle of Kampar was an engagement of the Malayan Campaign during World War II, involving British and Indian troops from the 11th Indian Infantry Division and the Japanese 5th Division.

Battle of Slim River

The Battle of Slim River occurred during the Malayan campaign in January 1942 between the Imperial Japanese Army and the British Indian Army on the west coast of Malaya.

18th Infantry Division

This division supplied the troops used in the invasion of Malaya at Kota Bharu. The 18th Division attacked down the east coast of Malaya and participated in the Battle of Singapore especially at Bukit Timah.

Battle of Bukit Timah

The Battle of Bukit Timah, was part of the final stage of the Empire of Japan's invasion of Singapore during World War II.

Auxiliary units

Artillery

Engineers

Line of communication (headquarters and units)

Armoured Units

3rd Tank Group

Air Units

Army 3rd Air Corps (飛行集団, Hikō Shudan?)

  • 59th Hiko Sentai (飛行戦隊) - Ki 27's and 43's moved to Thammarat, Thailand
  • 27th Hiko Sentai - Ki 51's
  • 75th Hiko Sentai - Ki 48's
  • 90th Hiko Sentai - Ki 48's
  • 64th Hiko Sentai - Ki 27's and 43's - based in Krakor Indo-China
  • 12th Hiko Sentai - Ki 21's - based in Siem Reap, Indo-China, these three units bombed Alor Star, Sungai Patani, and Butterworth
  • 60th Hiko Sentai - Ki 21's - based in Krakor - see above
  • 98th Hiko Sentai - Ki 21's - based in Krakor - see above
  • 1st Hiko Sentai - Ki 27's - based in Krakor Cambodia and moved to Singora, Thailand
  • 11th Hiko Sentai - Ki 27's - based in Duong Dong, Indo-China and moved to Singora, Thailand
  • 50th Dokuritsu Dai Shijugo Chutai - Ki 15's
  • 51st Dokuritsu Dai Shijugo Chutai - Ki 46's
  • 82nd Dokuritsu Dai Shijugo Chutai - Ki 30's
  • 84th Dokoritsu Dai Shijugo Chutai - Ki 27's

Based at Saigon, these units also served in the Philippines Campaign

Ship board units

See also

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