<Ul> <Li> Sarimbun Beach </Li> <Li> Kranji </Li> <Li> Bukit Timah </Li> <Li> Pasir Panjang </Li> </Ul> <P> The Battle of Singapore, also known as the Fall of Singapore, was fought in the South - East Asian theatre of World War II when the Empire of Japan invaded the British stronghold of Singapore--nicknamed the "Gibraltar of the East". Singapore was the major British military base in South - East Asia and was the keystone of British imperial interwar defence planning for South - East Asia as well as the South - West Pacific . The fighting in Singapore lasted from 8 to 15 February 1942 although this was preceded by two months of British resistance as Japanese forces advanced down the Malaya peninsula . </P> <P> The battle resulted in the Japanese capture of Singapore and the largest surrender of British - led military personnel in history . About 80,000 British, Indian and Australian troops became prisoners of war, joining 50,000 taken by the Japanese in the earlier Malayan Campaign . The British prime minister, Winston Churchill, called it the "worst disaster" in British military history . </P> <P> During 1940 and 1941, the Allies had imposed a trade embargo on Japan in response to its continued campaigns in China and its occupation of French Indochina . The basic plan for taking Singapore was worked out in July 1940 . Intelligence gained in late 1940--early 1941 did not alter the basic plan, but confirmed it in the minds of Japanese decision makers . On 11 November 1940, the German raider Atlantis captured the British steamer Automedon in the Indian Ocean, which was carrying the papers meant for Air Marshal Sir Robert Brooke - Popham, the British commander in the Far East, which included much information about the weakness of the Singapore base . In December 1940, the Germans handed over copies of the papers to the Japanese . The Japanese had broken the British Army's codes and in January 1941, the Second Department (the intelligence - gathering arm) of the Imperial Army had interpreted and read a message from Singapore to London complaining in much detail about the weak state of "Fortress Singapore", a message that was so frank in its admission of weakness that the Japanese at first suspected it was a British plant, believing that no officer would be so open in admitting weaknesses to his superiors, and only believed it was genuine after cross-checking the message with the Automedon papers . </P>

Who helped british troops defend malaya and singapore