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"No question of surrender must be entertained until after protracted fighting in the ruins of Singapore City. The battle must be fought to the bitter end at all costs. The whole reputation of our country and our race is at stake."
-- Prime-minister Winston Churchill, cable to Field Marshal. A.P. Wavell, Far Eastern Commander (February 1, 1942)
The Japanese had moved all the way down the Malay Peninsula and had reached Singapore (January 31). For about a week the two opposing armies faced each other across the Straits of Johor. The retreating British trips blew the bridge on the causeway cutting Singapore Island off from the mainland. The initial Japanese action was to intensify air attacks. They focused on the airfields, naval base, and harbor area, but many bombs hit commercial and residential sections of the city jammed with refugees. Considerable damage was done. Large numbers of civilians were killed or wounded in the Japanese raids. By this time the Japanese had complete air control over the entire island. This meant that not only could they bomb the island at will, but the British had no idea as to the strength of the attacking force or where they were massing to attack. General Yamashita had only a relatively small force of about 30,000 men and had been unable to stockpile ammunition and equipment for an assault. The British had a garrison force of about 70,000 men, primarily Australian, British, and Indian. The Singapore garrison was commanded by Lieutenant General Arthur E. Percival. His overall commander was General Archibald Wavell, the newly appointed commander in chief Far East who at the time was headquartered in Java. Wavell was an experienced commander, having served in the Middle East. Prime minister Winston Churchill ordered Percival to defend Singapore to the death. His orders were, "No surrender can be contemplated .... every inch of ground ... defended, every scrap of material or defenses ... blown to pieces to prevent capture by the enemy ...." Percival ordered his men to begin destroying the naval base which at any rate without a fleet to defend it was useless. He also began constructing defensive works along the northern coast. The elaborate defenses and heavy guns of Singapore were in fixed defensive works along the southern coast and pointed out to sea. British planners had not anticipated a ground assault from the north.
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