Educational Media Reviews Online

The personal experiences of a World War II veteran, and the views of historians and others have been utilized here to create a comprehensive report about the fall of Singapore which is commonly believed to be the beginning of the fall of the British Empire. The producers have also made use of archival films taken during and before the war to provide greater insight into the actual events that occurred at the time. Although the film is based on the life story of Alexander Cockburn (a Scottish pharmacist who later became a war veteran), comments from others and film clips have been integrated into the story in such a way that it provides a very clear picture of the events as they unfolded.

The film begins with a journey back in time as Alexander recounts his early days and circumstances that led him to Singapore. The story provides a glimpse of the socio-economic conditions of pre-war Singapore and the comfortable life style led by the expatriates who lived there at the time. After being handed over of the defense of Singapore during the middle 1930s, the British army and the navy took several precautionary steps to deal with any possible attack by the Japanese. While providing details of defense strategies planned by the British, it also highlights the false sense of security felt by the people who believed that Singapore was impregnable under the protection of the almighty force of the British.

The latter part of the video deals with the horrible experiences of the war. The invasion of Malaya and Singapore immediately after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the sinking of British battle ships, the strategies adopted by the Japanese to force the allied army to retreat and the final stunning defeat are described in detail. The historians discuss the causes of the defeat - how the Japanese got it right while the allied forces got it all wrong. The cruel treatment of Chinese civilians under Japanese occupation and the harsh conditions faced by prisoners of war are discussed in great detail. This study supports the common notion that the British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill sacrificed Singapore for Europe. It reveals the shallowness of the British social position as the British officials fled once they realized Singapore would fall and highlights the overwhelming the sense of betrayal felt by the Singaporeans as they were left to defend themselves. Overall, this is a very good study for those interested in history and particularly to those interested in finding the causes that led to the fall of the British Empire. It provides a rich source of information about Singapore and enables the viewers to look at World War II and British colonialism from a Singaporean point of view. This film is highly recommended for history and Asian studies collections in high school, college and academic libraries.

Additional information on this topic could be accessed from the following web sites: http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/fall_of_singapore.htm
http://ourstory.asia1.com.sg/war/headline/church.html