Defence of Britain's Asia-Pacific possessions - at the cheapest possible cost of course

swampyankee · Jan 10, 2020

Kevin J said:
Mohawks also based on Sierra Leone, West Coast, and South Africa for air defence and training.

The air defense may have been superfluous, but the training wasn't. It was also useful to have safe areas to move combat veterans to in order to give them someplace safe to rest, recover, and not lose their minds. One of the effects on the bombing campaign over Germany was to prevent that.

The colonies also brings up a long-term strategic error of the imperial administration: actively promoting local industry and education would vastly expand the pool of manpower available to the RN and RAF.

The Commonwealth didn't have the resources to send much more to Malaya. I suspect one of the resource problems was leadership — the British generals there don't seem to have been from their "A" team — and training for the ground forces. The IJA and IJN were planning on attacking a well-trained, competently-led force. The British didn't seem to be planning on defending against one: Japanese forces seem to have been consistently underrated until met in combat.

Kevin J · Jan 10, 2020

swampyankee said:
The air defense may have been superfluous, but the training wasn't. It was also useful to have safe areas to move combat veterans to in order to give them someplace safe to rest, recover, and not lose their minds. One of the effects on the bombing campaign over Germany was to prevent that.

The colonies also brings up a long-term strategic error of the imperial administration: actively promoting local industry and education would vastly expand the pool of manpower available to the RN and RAF.

The Commonwealth didn't have the resources to send much more to Malaya. I suspect one of the resource problems was leadership — the British generals there don't seem to have been from their "A" team — and training for the ground forces. The IJA and IJN were planning on attacking a well-trained, competently-led force. The British didn't seem to be planning on defending against one: Japanese forces seem to have been consistently underrated until met in combat.

To be fair, given the radar cover, the number of planes available, the only option is to retreat to Kuala Lumper to hold as an isolated outpost, Johore state to use as ambush country and Singapore as the final fortress except we don't have the air transport fleet to resupply KL.

Admiral Beez · Jan 11, 2020

swampyankee said:
The British didn't seem to be planning on defending against one: Japanese forces seem to have been consistently underrated until met in combat.

Both sides demonstrated a lack of understanding of their opposing side. The Japanese thought the Brits would fight hard and that the Americans would capitulate after a few setbacks at sea.

Defence of Britain's Asia-Pacific possessions - at the cheapest possible cost of course

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