Singapore- World War II

Even by late autumn 1941, most Singaporeans and their leaders remained
confident that their island fortress could withstand an attack, which they
assumed would come from the south and from the sea. Heavy fifteen-inch guns
defended the port and the city, and machine-gun bunkers lined the southern
coast.

The only local defense forces were the four battalions of Straits
Settlements Volunteer Corps and a small civil defense organization with units
trained as air raid wardens, fire fighters, medical personnel, and debris
removers. Singapore's Asians were not, by and large, recruited into these
organizations, mainly because the colonial government doubted their loyalty and
capability.

The government also went to great lengths to maintain public calm by
making highly optimistic pronouncements and heavily censoring the Singapore
newspapers for negative or alarming news. Journalists' reports to the outside
world were also carefully censored, and, in late 1941, reports to the British
cabinet from colonial officials were still unrealistically optimistic. If
Singaporeans were uneasy, they were reassured by the arrival at the naval base
of the battleship Prince of Wales, the battle and four destroyers
cruiser Repulse, on December 2.

The fast and modern Prince of
Wales was the pride of the British navy, and the Repulse was a
veteran cruiser. Their accompanying aircraft carrier had run aground en route,
however, leaving the warships without benefit of air cover.

sumber : http://countrystudies.us/singapore/7.htm