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| Interpretative Centre Level 1 - Gallery II |
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| The Swift Japanese Assault |
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| "Even the long legged Englishmen could
not escape our troops on bicycles." "...Thanks to Britain's dear money spent on the excellent paved roads, and to the cheap Japanese bicycles, the assault on Malaya was easy." |
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From 'Singapore. The
Japanese Version' by Colonel Masanobu Tsuji
Chief of Operations and Planning Staff, 25th Japanese Army, Malaya First published in Great Britain in 1962 by Constable and Company Ltd |
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| Bicycles, similar to these displayed, played a critical role in the Japanese advance down the Malayan Peninsula. Japanese Army planners adopted the bicycle as their main and preferred means of transport for their troops invading Malaya and Singapore. Most of the Japanese soldiers who were not transported in the few trucks sent to Malaya were issued a bicycle. Strapped to the bicycle would be the soldier's personal equipment and food rations. |
| On bicycles, the Japanese troops moved rapidly down the main roads of the Malay Peninsula and outflanked the Allied Forces defending the main roads by riding through rubber estate roads and tracks to surprise them from the rear. On their bicycles the Japanese were also able to move faster than the withdrawing Allied Forces, often successfully cutting off their retreat. |
Copyright © 2002. National Archives of Singapore. Last updated January
2004. 1 Canning Rise Singapore 179868.