Singapore

Country

Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, 137 kilometres (85 mi) north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the Singapore Strait to its south. ...

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Documents about Singapore

Wednesday 13th March 1940

Meeting minutes

extract PM on Sumner Welles mission: “aiming for the impossible”. No peace without “real change of outlook in Germany”
person Sumner Welles
person Adolf Hitler
person Harold Wilson
person Joachim von Ribbentrop
place Great Britain
place Finland
place Halifax Peninsula
place Singapore
place Europe
place Berlin
place Rome
organisation New Zealand Treasury
organisation Air Force F.C.
organisation RAF Coastal Command
organisation Parliament of the United Kingdom
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
organisation Canadian Forces Maritime Command
 

Meeting minutes

extract “Berlin better blacked out than London” says US envoy. Ambassador to Vatican reports Hitler and Mussolini to meet shortly
person Alexander Cadogan
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Sumner Welles
person Samuel Hoare
person Adolf Hitler
person Joachim von Ribbentrop
place Finland
place Vatican City
place Hong Kong
place Singapore
place Turkey
place Berlin
place Rome
organisation Luftwaffe
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
 

Withdrawal of two R.A.F. Bomber Squadrons from Singapore to India.

extract Chiefs of Staff urge moving two bomber squadrons from Singapore to India as war with Russia now more likely than Japan
place Egypt
place Iraq
place Singapore
 

Meeting minutes

extract Chief of Imperial General Staff says German offensive most likely on France-Luxembourg frontier
person Alexander Cadogan
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Ronnie Campbell
person Neville Chamberlain
place Brussels
place Singapore
place Malta
place Libya
organisation Royal Air Force
organisation Scapa
organisation 335th Fighter Squadron
 

Friday 5th April 1940

Meeting minutes

extract UK to support Afghans in case of Soviet aggression. Rhine mining operation abandoned at French insistence
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Ronnie Campbell
person Harold Wilson
person Neville Chamberlain
place Afghanistan
place Halifax Peninsula
place Singapore
place North America
place West Germany
organisation Home Office
organisation New Zealand Treasury
 

Saturday 25th May 1940

British strategy in a certain eventuality.

extract Without “full economic and financial support” from USA. Chiefs of Staff cannot see “any chance of success” in war effort
extract Chiefs of Staff circulate UK strategy for next phase of conflict. Paper assumes defeat of France, failure to evacuate BEF
place Portugal
place Russian Empire
place Egypt
place Iraq
place Eyre Peninsula
place Singapore
place Turkey
place Malta
place Europe
place Gibraltar
place Alexandria
place Africa
place Libya
organisation Air Force F.C.
organisation Minister of Economic Warfare
organisation Scapa
organisation United States Army
 

Thursday 13th June 1940

Plans to meet a certain eventuality.

extract Chiefs of Staff predict German victory will cause "more actively opportunist" Japan but end support from "alarmed" Russia
place Great Britain
place Caribbean
place Singapore
place Turkey
place Europe
place South America
organisation Hopatcong High School
organisation French Navy
organisation United States Congress
 

Plans to meet a certain eventuality: French Colonial Empire and Mandated Territories.

extract Chiefs of Staff circulate suggested strategies to encourage French overseas territories to continue assistance to Britain
person Chiang Kai-shek
place Freetown
place Aruba
place New Caledonia
place Somaliland
place Madagascar
place Iraq
place Caribbean
place Singapore
place Turkey
place Europe
place Gibraltar
place Dakar
place Beirut
place Morocco
place Syria
place Africa
place Newfoundland, Kentucky
place Burma
organisation Minister of Economic Warfare
organisation United States Congress
 

Immediate measures required in the Far East.

extract Chiefs of Staff produce plan on strengthening Far East defences but admit "we cannot spare a fleet for the Far East"
person Robert German
person John Dill
person Chiang Kai-shek
place Russian Empire
place Hong Kong
place Singapore
place Thailand
place Africa
place Republic of China
place Iran
organisation Hopatcong High School
 

Policy in the Far East.

extract Halifax outlines UK Far East policy, recommends rejection of Japanese demands to close Burma road to China
person Chiang Kai-shek
place Great Britain
place Hong Kong
place Singapore
place Shanghai
place Burma
 

Friday 5th July 1940

Meeting minutes

extract "Energetic protest" from French Embassy over UK naval action. Warns situation so grave "impossible to foretell" response
extract PM to send personal telegram to President Roosevelt making "further strong appeal" for US to supply destroyers to Britain
extract Dominions Secretary informs Cabinet that Eire government will "turn a blind eye" to UK ships in Irish territorial waters
extract Lord Halifax registers "disfavour" at Cabinet's view that Burma Road should be closed. Believes Japanese position "bluff"
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Andrew Greenwood
person Stafford Cripps
person John Maffey, 1st Baron Rugby
person Robert Craigie (diplomat)
person Chiang Kai-shek
place Great Britain
place Halifax Peninsula
place Singapore
place Gibraltar
place Republic of China
place Burma
organisation Home Office
organisation Hopatcong High School
organisation Morning Star (UK newspaper)
 

Meeting minutes

extract Halifax: “We delude ourselves” if we think Russia will “by proper treatment be made a warm friend of this country”
extract Halifax: Resuming relations with France unlikely in view of UK bombing, blockade, leaflet drops. Not of great importance
extract Lord Halifax speaking to junior ministers. Tells meeting “We might now be at the turning point of the war”
person Charles de Gaulle
person E. F. L. Wood, 1st Earl of Halifax
person Adolf Hitler
person Farouk of Egypt
place Great Britain
place Lancaster, Lancashire
place Russian Empire
place Egypt
place Singapore
place Europe
place Burma
place West Germany
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
 

Thursday 1st August 1940

Meeting minutes

extract PM: UK "considerably more secure" than 2 months ago. Now possible to take a "less rigid attitude" to internment of aliens
extract 7 UK subjects still held in Tokyo. "A certain number of Japanese subjects" will be arrested without prior notice to Japan
extract Press reporting US ban on aviation fuel exports. Effect on UK imports, attitude of Japan "not clear"
extract Stafford Cripps in Moscow complains Foreign Minister Molotov will not meet him. Halifax to discuss with USSR Ambassador
extract First Sea Lord: Nothing has been heard of H.M. Submarine Narwhal for over a week. She must therefore be regarded as lost
extract PM "glad" at boost in UK supply of fighter aircraft. Air Secretary: Supply of pilots "still not altogether satisfactory"
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Andrew Greenwood
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Walter Citrine, 1st Baron Citrine
person Stafford Cripps
person Bob Kerslake
person Robert Craigie (diplomat)
person Leo Amery
place Afghanistan
place Moscow
place Singapore
place North China
place South America
place Tokyo
place Republic of China
place Burma
organisation Home Office
 

The Far East. Appreciation by the Chiefs of Staff.

extract Chiefs of Staff report on likely events in Far East. Expect Japan first strike in Indo-China or Thailand then Singapore
place Russian Empire
place Fiji
place Hong Kong
place Singapore
place Shanghai
place Europe
place North China
place Thailand
place Republic of China
place Burma
 

Meeting minutes

extract UK diplomats recommend withdrawal of N. China garrisons. PM: Troops can reinforce Singapore, "might help our prestige"
extract Aircraft Production Minister: "Very anxious" to avoid any suspicion that Government "encouraging the holiday spirit"
extract Cabinet agrees relaxation of holiday rules to avoid "serious" effects on production. No announcement to be made
extract Minister of Labour proposes confiscating any wages of conscientious objectors higher than a private soldier's income
extract Cabinet approves seizure of Baltic shipping. Halifax: Will cause "trouble with Moscow" but necessary "as a pledge"
person Anthony Eden
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person E. F. L. Wood, 1st Earl of Halifax
person Kingsley Wood
person Clement Attlee
person Andrew Duncan
person Frederick Marquis, 1st Earl of Woolton
place South Africa
place Singapore
place North China
place Tokyo
place Republic of China
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
 

Assistance to the Dutch in event of Japanese aggression in Netherlands East Indies.

extract Chiefs predict Japan would suffer "commercial ruin" with a year of UK/US sanctions. Confronting both "highly improbable"
place Singapore
place Europe
place Gibraltar
place Thailand
organisation Hopatcong High School
organisation United States Navy
organisation Minister of Economic Warfare
organisation United States Army
 

Meeting minutes

extract King George VI: My peoples "would rather all perish in the common ruin than fall or falter in their duty"
extract Halifax circulates draft rejection by King George of offer of mediation between UK and Germany by King Gustav of Sweden
extract PM Churchill: "We could never stand by and see a British Dominion overwhelmed by a yellow race"
extract PM: Invasion of Australia "could be retrieved" by USA. "In the last resort" UK would "abandon" Mediterranean and Mid-East
extract PM: We hope "to avoid war" but it could occur "at any moment". "Opening moves" likely to be against Hong Kong, Singapore
extract Churchill outlines policy in the event of Japanese aggression: UK Fleet needed in Mediterranean "to beat the Italians"
person William Lyon Mackenzie King
person Adolf Hitler
person Winston Churchill
person Neville Chamberlain
place Great Britain
place Egypt
place Fiji
place Hong Kong
place Singapore
place Europe
place Gibraltar
place Alexandria
place Africa
place Republic of China
organisation Air Force F.C.
organisation Royal Air Force
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
 

Meeting minutes

extract War Cabinet agrees "every endeavour must be made to limit dollar expenditure to vital needs"
extract Air Chief: Attacks yesterday mainly small, by single aircraft along the East and SE coasts. "Good proportion" intercepted
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person Herbert Morrison
person Kingsley Wood
place Greece
place East Germany
place Egypt
place Bermuda
place Singapore
place Washington
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
organisation Hopatcong High School
organisation House of Commons of Canada
 

Wednesday 4th September 1940

Meeting minutes

extract Cabinet approves the use of troops on harvest work. "Arrangements to be made for them to get free beer"
extract Aircraft Production Minister reports unauthorised work stoppages in Solihull due to air raid warnings. Cabinet to discuss
person Anthony Eden
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Walter Hines Page
person Kingsley Wood
place Singapore
place Europe
place Republic of China
organisation House of Commons of the United Kingdom
organisation House of Lords
organisation Parliament of the United Kingdom
organisation 335th Fighter Squadron
 

Thursday 3rd October 1940

Meeting minutes

extract Swiss Minister now discussing UK airspace violations "with complete good humour". Hopes RAF will use mainly Geneva route
extract Cabinet agrees to reopen Burma Road. PM: Right decision, do not believe Japan will "declare war upon us as a result"
extract Air Chief: Air casualties 1 machine (pilot safe but wounded), Enemy 10. Weather very bad but a few bombers reached Berlin
extract Air Chief: 250 enemy aircraft over UK yesterday "only dropped a few bombs on the South Coast"
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Stafford Cripps
person Kingsley Wood
person Clement Attlee
person Leo Amery
place Berlin, New York
place Singapore
place Malta
place Burma
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
organisation Home Office
organisation New Zealand Treasury
organisation Hopatcong High School
 

Meeting minutes

extract PM Churchill: "Intolerable that any newspaper should indulge in criticism and abuse...in a time of great national peril"
extract PM complains of "dangerous and sinister" Press criticism. Accuses HG Wells and Editors of advocating a "surrender peace"
extract PM argues with Halifax over "appeasement of Vichy". UK should "retaliate by bombarding Casablanca" if Gibraltar attacked
extract Halifax: Reports Herr Ribbentrop's Rome visit had "object of keeping Italy in the war". Our bombing having "great effect"
extract USA has inquired about use of Singapore "in the event of trouble in the Far East". PM: Japan has made "great" mistake
person Anthony Eden
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Andrew Greenwood
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Herbert Morrison
person Samuel Hoare
person Kingsley Wood
person Joachim von Ribbentrop
place Cranborne
place Halifax Peninsula
place Madrid
place Tangier
place Singapore
place Gibraltar
place Morocco
place Rome
place Libya
organisation Daily Mirror
 

Meeting minutes

extract Halifax: Report Germans "sending train-loads of gas" to Belgium. PM unhappy with UK gas preparations. Attlee to enquire
extract Halifax: UK Ambassador Tokyo has informed Japanese that the Burma Road will reopen. Interview "passed off satisfactorily"
extract Halifax: UK Minister in Bucharest preparing to leave. "No doubt that British subjects being ill-treated in Roumania"
extract First Sea Lord: 5 more US Destroyers received and first 50,000 of 250,000 US rifles delivered. More "on their way"
extract First Sea Lord: Reports of "arrival of certain of General de Gaulle's forces" at ports in French Equatorial Africa
person Anthony Eden
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Charles de Gaulle
person Herbert Morrison
person Kingsley Wood
person Clement Attlee
person Robert Craigie (diplomat)
place Cranborne
place Halifax Peninsula
place Singapore
place London, Ontario
place Africa
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
organisation Home Office
organisation House of Commons of the United Kingdom
organisation Morning Star (UK newspaper)
organisation Daily Mirror
 

Meeting minutes

extract Anderson: One-eighth of consumers in London cut off from domestic gas supplies. Position has been "static for some days"
extract Minister of Labour: Baking industry offering "time and a half" during air raid warnings. Will end "dangerous precedent"
extract Halifax: Washington opposed to "anything like a conference" in US, London or Singapore. Cooperation to remain technical
extract Admiralty: "Great improvement" in shipping losses last week but enemy sowing "very large quantities" of mines around UK
extract Air Chief: Main concentration of overnight bombing again on London. Liverpool also received "considerable attention"
person Alexander Cadogan
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Andrew Greenwood
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Stafford Cripps
person John Vereker, 6th Viscount Gort
person Samuel Hoare
person Malcolm MacDonald
person Kingsley Wood
person Clement Attlee
person Miles Lampson, 1st Baron Killearn
place Egypt
place Cranborne
place Halifax Peninsula
place Iceland
place Singapore
place Sudan
place Washington
organisation House of Commons of the United Kingdom
 

Sunday 10th November 1940

Assistance to China.

extract Halifax: General Chiang Kai-shek requests treaty of alliance with UK, USA and "concrete financial and economic help"
person Chiang Kai-shek
place Great Britain
place Moscow
place Hong Kong
place Singapore
place Shanghai
place Tokyo
place Republic of China
 

Reports for the Month of October 1940 for India, Burma and the Colonies, Protectorates and Mandated Territories.

extract India Secretary: New outbreak of civil disobedience in Hyderabad State. "Not clear" what Gandhi's next intention might be
person Charles de Gaulle
person William Patrick Stuart-Houston
place South Africa
place Great Britain
place Greece
place Somaliland
place Russian Empire
place Egypt
place Hong Kong
place Caribbean
place Singapore
place Jamaica
place Gibraltar
place Cyprus
place Syria
place Africa
place Burma
organisation Royal Air Force
organisation Indian National Congress
organisation Congress Working Committee
 

Sunday 8th December 1940

Draft letter from Prime Minister to President Roosevelt.

extract PM to cable Roosevelt on year ahead: "Unless we can establish our ability to feed this Island...we may fall by the way"
person Adolf Hitler
person Winston Churchill
place Great Britain
place Singapore
place Turkey
place North America
place Europe
place Africa
place Northern Ireland
place West Germany
organisation Air Force F.C.
organisation United States Navy
organisation Royal Navy
organisation Commonwealth of Nations
organisation French Navy
 

Reports for the Month of November 1940 for the Dominions, India, Burma and the Colonies, Protectorates and Mandated Territories.

extract India Secretary: Civil disobedience continuing and spreading. Mr. Gandhi has extended considerably his anti-war campaign
person Charles de Gaulle
place South Africa
place Greece
place Egypt
place Hong Kong
place Singapore
place Jamaica
place Kenya
place Burma
organisation Air Force F.C.
organisation Royal Air Force
organisation Parliament of the United Kingdom
organisation United States Navy
organisation Royal Navy
organisation Government of Canada
 

Assembly of aircraft for Chinese Government British Territory.

extract Halifax explores how UK may supply China with aircraft from India without breaching Hague Convention, Japanese neutrality
person Chiang Kai-shek
place Russian Empire
place Hong Kong
place Singapore
place Thailand
place Washington
place Republic of China
place Burma
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
 

Saturday 15th February 1941

Implications of a Japanese southward move.

extract Japan will "probably select" Dutch East Indies as first objective. Any move will be "timed to fit" with German offensive
extract Chiefs of Staff predict Japan will use mediation role in Thai-French dispute to gain bases in Thailand and Indo-China
person Robert German
place Singapore
place Thailand
place Burma
 

Oil Position. Monthly Report for January, 1941, submitted by the Secretary for Petroleum.

extract Petroleum Secretary: January oil imports "on a very low level" but expect them to recover to Summer 1940 levels shortly
person Geoffrey Lloyd, Baron Geoffrey-Lloyd
place Greece
place Hong Kong
place Singapore
place Malta
place Kenya
 

Meeting minutes

extract PM Churchill: Japanese Ambassador denies "aggressive intentions" against Australia, Singapore or Dutch East Indies
extract President Roosevelt has "advised against interception" of Japanese vessel Asaku Maru. Vessel allowed to leave Lisbon
extract General Haining: Allied forces in Italian Somaliland have captured Jumbo and are advancing on Brava. 3000 prisoners taken
extract PM Churchill welcomes PM Menzies to all War Cabinet meetings while in UK. Commonwealth relationship "unique in history"
person Alexander Cadogan
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Herbert Morrison
person E. F. L. Wood, 1st Earl of Halifax
person Kingsley Wood
person Clement Attlee
person Robert Craigie (diplomat)
place Somaliland
place Cranborne
place Madagascar
place Singapore
place Eritrea
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
place Libya
organisation Home Office
organisation Parliament of the United Kingdom
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
organisation Commonwealth of Nations
 

Monday 12th May 1941

Co-operation with the Netherlands Government regarding mutual support in the event of Japanese aggression.

extract Foreign Secretary Eden recommends UK supports Netherlands in the event of Japanese aggression against Dutch East Indies
person Anthony Eden
place New Caledonia
place Singapore
place Europe
organisation Hopatcong High School
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
 

Thursday 3rd July 1941

Co-operation with the Netherlands Government regarding mutual support in the event of Japanese aggression.

extract Eden drafts mutual defence agreement with Dutch East Indies in the event of Japanese "armed action"
person Anthony Eden
place New Caledonia
place Singapore
place Thailand
 

Japanese intentions in Indo-China.

extract Eden: We have "sure information" Japan not intending action in Eastern Siberia but will seize staging areas in Indo-China
person Anthony Eden
place Great Britain
place Singapore
place Shanghai
place Thailand
place Washington
place Republic of China