Landing - 8 December 1941: A large Japanese naval fleet anchors off the northeast coast of Malaya, landing troops, artillery and military vehicles on Singora and Patani in southern Thailand, and Kota Bahru in northern Malaya.
Jitra Line - 10 December 1941: Japanese divisional forces battle with British defenders at Jitra. Inexperience, rainy weather and inadequate defenses disadvantage the defenders who are overwhelmed by the enemy, and retreat behind a trail of blown-up bridges.
Sinking of Prince of Wales & the Repulse - 10 December 1941: The prize British battleship, the Prince of Wales, and its companion, the Repulse, are sunk off the coast of Kuantan by superior Japanese air power. This effectively destroys British naval power in the East.
Capture of Alor Star Air Field - 13 December 1941: The British retreat from the Alor Star airfield, leaving, in their haste, huge stocks of bombs, aviation fuel and other supplies undestroyed. These, and those left behind at other abandoned airfields, fell into the hands of the Japanese, who came to call them the "Churchill Supplies." Penang - British civilians and troops evacuated Penang between 13 and 17 December 1941, leaving the Japanese to occupy it on 19 December 1941. Although most supplies and installations were destroyed, the Penang radio station was left intact. It was soon broadcasting Japanese propaganda all over South-east Asia.
Capture of Ipoh - 26 December 1941: Japanese divisional troops cross the Perak River unopposed. Despite fierce resistance from British defenders on the road to Ipoh, the town is abandoned to the Japanese on 27 December 1941.
Kuantan - 30 December 1941: Japanese attacking forces capture Kuantan. British defending forces evacuate the area by 3 January 1942, giving up the Kuantan airfield in the process. With the capture of Kuantan, the whole of northern Malaya was in Japanese hands.
Slim River - 7 January 1942: Fierce fighting takes place as the British make a defensive stand. The British fail to make effective use of their anti-tank defenses, while the Japanese, adopting aggressive tactics, annihilate almost an entire British division, and score a decisive victory.
Kuala Lumpur - 11 January 1942: Japanese forces enter and occupy Kuala Lumpur, the capital of the Federated Malay States, unopposed. In the process, they capture vast stores of supplies and equipment which the British could not destroy, and a damaged - but still usable - Kuala Lumpur airfield.
Muar-Yong Peng-Batu Pahat "triangle" - The struggle for Johore takes place over a period of two weeks, as the British attempt to halt the convergence of the offensive Japanese forces on Johor Bahru. However, after meeting defeat after crushing defeat, the British troops are forced to retreat to Singapore. Evacuation begins in the early hours of 27 January 1942.
Causeway - 31 January 1942: The last British troops retreat over the Causeway at dawn, and a seventy-foot wide gap is blown into the Causeway. With Johore in Japanese hands, their occupation of the Malay Peninsula is complete. The Battle for Singapore begins... ^^^
