Japanese occupation of Singapore
Syonan , officially Syonan Island , was the name for Singapore when it was occupied and ruled by the Empire of Japan, following the fall and surrender of British military forces on 15 February 1942 during World War II.
Britain surrenders Singapore to the Japanese. Lieutenant-General Yamashita (seated, third from the left) faces Lt. Gen. Percival (sitting second from the right, back to camera)
A ten-dollar "Banana Money" note issued during the war
Ivan Lyon (centre) celebrating with two other members of Z Force following the success of Operation Jaywick
The Japanese delegation leaves the Municipal Building after the surrender ceremony on 12 September 1945
The fall of Singapore, also known as the Battle of Singapore, took place in the South–East Asian theatre of the Pacific War. The Japanese Empire captured the British stronghold of Singapore, with fighting lasting from 8 to 15 February 1942. Singapore was the foremost British military base and economic port in South–East Asia and had been of great importance to British interwar defence strategy. The capture of Singapore resulted in the largest British surrender in its history.
Lieutenant-General Arthur Percival (right), led by Ichiji Sugita, walks under a flag of truce to negotiate the capitulation of Commonwealth forces in Singapore, 15 February 1942.
The Pacific theatre in 1942, showing Singapore on the Malay peninsula
View of the blown-up causeway, with the gap visible in the middle, which delayed the Japanese conquest for over a week, to 8 February
Troops of the ill-fated 8th Australian Division disembark at Singapore Harbour.