My late father was first supervisor on the very first coffer dam right through till the bridge was completed or so both my mother Dad were the very first public car to cross the bridge the whole mass workers witnessed that very day my late dad was a very proud man to be part of history building the the bridge badly needed or so worked on the tasman bridge through completion back the 60s70s 👍

21:13 big Geoff

Churchill caused the Fall of Singapore by diverting vital supplies to the USSR.

Truth was Malaya and Singapore was indefensible on land. It is exactly like Korea and to any general, you could attack at aby spot along Peninsula and split the defenders into 2 just as Mcaruthur did at Inchon. The Portuguese simply took over a bridge on the Melaka river in 1511 and the Melaka empire was finished. The navy was the key but Britain only had 2 capital ships to spare. Once Peatl Harbour was taken out, it was all over. These Australian boys were just sent to die. Why should they not run?

There were tanks with the British 18th division but they played little part in the battle

There were 85.000 prisoners taken at singapore Churchill blundered sending Valuable tanks and aircraft to russia! Nobody else in the cabinet could stand up to him One tried and churchill glared At him so strongly he thought He would be attacked anyway the americans took over in 1942 and churchill was Contained!

Singapore was seriously deficient in modern artillery, ground communications, fighter aeroplanes (mostly obsolete) as well as a complete lack of tanks. Furthermore, the British military establishment gravely underestimated the fighting capabilities of the Japanese soldiers and their resourcefulness to operate in the jungle. The British empire military command of Singapore was weak and fragmented - and Percival’s strategy to defend Singapore was riddled with misconceptions about where the Japanese would direct their main thrust. For example, Singapore’s much vaunted naval guns pointed toward the open sea, hence the Japanese land attack from the north, rendered these guns useless. The speed of the Japanese advance was a massive psychological advantage, as British, Australian and Indian troops were constantly having to retreat, which was in itself demoralising. The irony of Percival’s surrender was that the Japanese themselves were running out of resources, and indeed, their troops were outnumbered by Empire and Commonwealth troops, but Percival was convinced that the Japanese forces were immeasurably larger. The Fall of Singapore was a military disaster and a humiliating defeat for Great Britain.

Arrogance, hubris, haughtiness, under supplied, sacrificed and badly led, all leading to failure. 85000 against 30000? They weren’t permitted to fire on the Johore Palace tower by the command because it wasn’t cricket. They weren’t allowed to put out mines and barbed wire because it wouldn’t be good for civilian morale. So foolish. Our greatest generation. ‘Men of men’. Lest we forget.

Australians running away from battle? Not the Aussies this Anerican knows - as hard as the dirt of the outback and tough as the sharks off the coast. Singapore fell for a myriad of reasons but not because of lack of courage on the ground. Inept military leadership and lack of support in the face of a determined enemy.

churchill made a decision in 1940 to save britain, the dominions only if their salvation didn't impede the defence of britain. to me the mystery is why he used so many resources in the mediterranean. his genius lay in having the soviet union, the usa, and the dominions save him at such risk to themselves and with no return. i am NOT a churchill fan.

The guy,Prof.National University of Singapore is a brash big mouth...

My uncle was killed building the bowen bridge rip tony parkinson

No... Both England and Australian were coward. To know the truth just ask veteran malay soldiers. They that fought bravely since japan landed in kota bharu. They still fought on the beach in kota bharu with gurkhas regimen until their ammunition ran out while british and australian ran far away to singapore!

Ha, I can hear you hum to yourself 😘

comments reveal the ignorance of the masses...it is hopeless..

the ambush by the Aussies at Gemas was the best piece of action the Commonwealth forces mounted, if only the Brits fought like the resourceful and aggressive Aussies,,

This good doco ignores where primary responsibility for the Singapore disaster lays - W Churchill. Yes Percival was a racist fool. Yes the British army were largely abandoned. Yes, the Australian Govt was lied too repeatedly. Yes, they sent in their Navy with no air support. Yes, they ignored defence for a land invasion via Malaysia. And Churchill approved all of it. He also personally lied and deceived Aust PM Curtin. Add on Gallipoli and Singapore onto Churchill's many disastrous legacies

Ignore this rubbish. What a twisted mangle of lies, deception and omission. They are attempting to rewrite history. Look elsewhere.

Donkeys leading lions such bravery you will never see again RESPECT.

I remember it well living close by at the time, watching those cars swinging over the edge of the broken Bridge. My husband was working on the East side, and had to travel on ferries over for some time daily. It was also around the time the Mount St Canice laundry blew up. All tragic, but I have many wonderful memories of Hobart and Tassie.

The fall of Singapore??? NO. Liberation of Singapore.

hahahahaha loser

Tough and honourable men let down in spades. We thank them for their service , the Special Generation.

Thankyou David for posting,....,

Tell ya what the landscape's dry as toast. The 82/83 Drought in full swing there.

Well...wasn't expecting to hear the theme from Platoon in a documentary about the Second World War..

If I remember right the garrison outnumbered the attackers 4 to 1. Thing is the Japanese cut the water supply to the island. It's a debacle no doubt.

My great uncle was in Singapore he was Australian and he remembers the British taking off in their planes and ships leaving nothing behind while making the Anzacs to fight against the Japanese I will never forgive britain for betraying Australia and even after that Britain wouldn’t let our troops out of Africa while the only defence Australia had was rag tag young men and old men fighting Japanese commanders if it wasn’t for our government forcing Churchill to give our troops Australia would be invaded. And the Japanese got close to taking Australia to near where I live Cape Hillsborough they found lots of old Japanese equipment a few years ago. My dad says because of the British he lost his uncle.

At 22:25 the radio host says, ". . . . they are the type who will keep this country, white." What a bigoted pig! The only white part of that country was the aristocracy that made every effort to ensure the natives of the land remained underfoot. Singapore was the end of the British empire, and, as an English born Australian I say I am glad I was born after this era of racist elitism. Even now, many years later, I cringe when I hear words like these.

Roy Cornford....what a hero !

JAPAN ICHI BAN, SINGAPOORS ITCHI BACKSIDE DI DI (PULAU BELAKANG MATI, TODAY'S SENTOSA) WAHAHAHHAHAA

Percival a typical upper crust British establishment clown..... don’t blame the Aussies,why should they fight for the the UK anyway!!!

I dont know much but I do know war, I have never in my life of 19 years service heard a veteran of any war describe in detail there actions in combat, particularly when using edged weapons simply because of its horrific nature. I've seen highly professional tier 1 soilders become shadows of there former self because of such action some ended up taking there own lives. The ones who I have heard talking about stabbing, slashing throats and the like were liars in the extream. I'm sure these men fought and hard at that but some here a talking utter nonsense.

S.S. Automedon The Ship That Doomed A Colony "... and 120 mail bags, including the latest merchant navy code deciphering tables 7,8 and 9. In addition to this was a slender green bag, placed aboard on the orders of Air Chief Marshall, Sir Cyril Newall of the Chiefs of Staff. Inside of which was a full copy of the August 1940 COS Far Eastern Appreciation." forcez-survivors.org.uk/automedon.html

Reporter: We need definitive facts (Goes to Australian veterans) Reporter: Did you all dessert? Australian veteran: No Reporter: Alright case close we now have our definitive answer Of course he would deny it anyone would! Singapore is a really tragic and interesting but altogether tragic story for what came after it to the Singaporeans it was just horrendous what the Japanese did

My great grandfather Norman James Folkes was killed in action on 9th February 1942 fighting on the front line defending Singapore with the 2/20th Battalion AIF. His grave stone reads ‘buried near this spot’ in Kranji memorial cemetery. My family did not know what happened to him for many years. He died for all free men against tyranny..RIP Norman. You will be remembered.

Singapore not a country.. Just one district in Johor

With the Derwent's pollution levels, the workers on this project are probably not alive today.

Love the oliver stone *Platoon* music background gives me the chills

the end song with the montage of them saddens me

They look simple , but man theres a lot of work gone into it

I was born in SIngapore in 1974. I'm Scottish. My Dad was there as an engineer helping set up a watch factory. Early globalisation. Boo. I respect every Australian, Indian and British death in Singapore during WW2. Sounds like it was shitshow. My Great Uncle died on the Burma Railway so I have some idea of the emotional cost of that fiasco. My Grandmother hated the Japanese with a passion for killing her brother. It was war and war is ugly. I'd like to think we've moved beyond the emotions of that war and now just recognise that people are not ugly. War is Ugly. Let's resolve not to do it anymore. Luv and PEACE.

The fall of Singapore should go down in history as how NOT to defend a modern city. Certainly not the finest hour for British and Aussie soldiers who sent there by the thousands to defend Singapore but ended up as PoWs. This documentary makes no mention of local men in the Malay Regiment or in Dalforce (Chinese irregulars hastily armed and trained by the British) who fought hard with the limited equipment they had at their disposal. It wasn't just Australians who realised that they couldn't depend on Britain in their greatest hour of need. Locals like Lee Kuan Yew had little respect for their colonial masters who ran away and left an entire city to the tender mercies of the invading Japanese. The fall of Singapore and Malaya would later fuel the push for independence by the citizens of these 2 countries.

Superior tactics and resolve from the Japanese troops combined with British hubris lost Singapore.

SINGAPOOP'S THE CURSED LAND

SO.... THAT'S HOW SINGAPOOPS GOT THEIR PSYCHOPATH COWARDICE... THEY WERE DITCHED AND LEFT ALONE BY UK TROOPS WHO RAN LIKE RUNAWAY BRIDES HAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHA

The British colonial govt. tried to bluff the Japanese assuming that this Asian power would swallow the propaganda BS but the Japanese called their bluff and royally kicked the British military butts

The British believed their own propaganda and had no real plans and leadership was poor.

Politicians of no matter which side are to blame - they make the war but stand and watch! - Fuck the money for defence - is my pension ok! - still resonates today!

Frankly there were not enough A-Bombs dropped on Japan - her disregard for humans deserved equal retribution!