Singapore Burning Heroism and Surrender in World War II

Singapore Burning: Heroism and Surrender in World War II

Churchill’s description of the fall of Singapore on 15 February 1942, after Lt-Gen Percival’s surrender led to over 100,000 British, Australian and Indian troops falling into the hands of the Japanese, was no wartime exaggeration. The Japanese had promised that there would be no Dunkirk in Singapore, and its fall led to imprisonment, torture and death for thousands of allied men and women. With much new material from British, Australian, Indian and Japanese sources, Colin Smith has woven together the full and terrifying story of the fall of Singapore and its aftermath. Here, alongside cowardice and incompetence, are forgotten acts of enormous heroism; treachery yet heart-rending loyalty; Japanese compassion as well as brutality from the bravest and most capricious enemy the British ever had to face.

Colin Smith is an author and award-winning journalist. He covered many wars for the Observer and served terms as its Defence, Middle East, Asia and Washington correspondent. His previous books include (with John Bierman) Alamein: War Without Hate.

Colin Smith
Softcover 656pp