TIMELINE Britain’s year at the brink
7 DECEMBER 1941 TO 31 JANUARY 1942
Japan invades Malaya
s their planes attack Pearl Harbor, Japanese forces invade British-controlled Malaya (now peninsular Malaysia). Fast-moving troops advance through the jungle and overwhelm imperial defenders. British, Indian and Australian forces retreat in disarray, abandoning the local population. Towns and cities fall in quick succession: Penang, Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bahru. Thousands of soldiers surrender and, on 31 January, the last Allied troops retreat across the causeway to the supposedly impregnable fortress of Singapore –
