Japan instigated the Malayan Campaign for various reasons. The prime motive was to somehow acquire the goods vital for Japan's industrial advancement. The campaign officially began on 8 December 1941 shortly after midnight. It started when the Japanese forces docked in Singora and Patani in Thailand, and Kota Bharu in Malaya. The Malayan Campaign consisted of much bloodshed in many battles that were fought in Malaya between the Allied (English, Indian, Australian, Chinese, Malay) and Axis (Japanese) forces.
When Japanese troops lead by the Imperial Japanese Army's Lieutenant General Tomoyuki Yamashita docked without warning at the beaches of Kota Bharu in Kelantan, in Malaya, they clashed with the Allied ground troops who were waiting for them. The Allied forces were devastated by the sheer numbers of Japanese troops, hence compelling the Allied forces to withdraw. After giving into the first battle, the Allies anticipated a Japanese landward attack. Henceforth, they proceeded to plan an assault which is known as Operation Matador. The proposition of ‘Operation Matador’ was made in conference with the Far East Command & Malaya Command. The strategy was that two small Allied forces would ambush the Japanese forces who were expected to land along Thailand's eastern coastline at Thai border. This will give the main forces within Malaya enough time to gather themselves and launch an attack. The Allied troops who were tasked to protect the Thai border from the Axis troops were ordered to form a defence line at Jitra and Kedah. Unfortunately, internal political issues prevented this plan from being executed. Without the resistance in place, the Japanese troops at Singora and Patani crossed the Thai border and entered Malaya with...
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...nese’s tenacious progression down the Peninsula of Malaya. The industrious Japanese swiftly reconstructed the bridge that the Allies destroyed and brought their battalions of reinforcements across.
A.E. Percival decided that his troops could no longer defend Johor as the Japanese were closing in on the Allies. Having little choice, Percival ordered the retreat of his men into Singapore on 27 January 1942. The Campaign finally concluded on 31 January 1942 as soon as the Allied troops crossed the bridge that linked Johor to Singapore. Allied Engineers blasted a significant gap in the bridge in a final attempt to stall the Japanese from storming into Singapore.
Works Cited
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_invasion_of_Malaya
http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/PTO/RisingSun/BicycleBlitz/
http://infopedia.nl.sg/articles/SIP_2013-07-19_162143.html
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