If you like my work and want to support the channel, consider subscribing to my Patreon for more, exclusive content! patreon.com/GermanWWIIArchive Or buy me a Kaffee here: www.buymeacoffee.com/germanwwiiarchive Remarks: 01:06 This is referring to the Battle of Palembang, a combined Japanese paratrooper and amphibious attack on Palembang, a city in the southern parts of Sumatra Island. Palembang had large oil reserves and factories and an airfield, making it an important target for the Japanese. On February 13th, the Japanese dropped 430 paratroopers of the 2nd Parachute Regiment over Palembang; securing the Airfield and the NKPM oil refinery. The main forces of the Japanese landed on the Island on February 15th, around 3000 soldiers from the 229th and 230th Infantry Regiment. The Dutch troops retreated, and the Japanese were able to secure the area. The Battle was a success for the Japanese, although especially the paratroopers suffered heavy losses, with around 100 killed and 170 wounded, the British and Australian air force units stationed in the area also managed to inflict some casualties on the landing forces, damaging and sinking several Japanese transport ships. 01:31 These planes are Nakajima L2D transport planes. In February 1938, the Nakajima company acquired the license to produce the Douglas DC-3 airliner in Japan; production started in 1939, with certain parts, such as the engines and the electronics, being shipped to Japan from the US. After Japan attacked the US, the Japanese engineered their own version without American parts. By 1942, Nakajima had made 71 of these L2D planes, production was then taken over by Showa, originally just an aircraft parts supplier, who build a further 416 planes until the end of the war. The L2D was thus the most important Japanese transport aircraft. 02:52 This is referring to the Battle of Makassar Strait, which in Japanese is knowns as Battle of the Java Sea. It was a minor engagement on February 4th between around 50-60 Japanese bombers who bombed a combined American-Dutch fleet in the Java Sea, consisting of four light cruisers (two Dutch and two US) and seven destroyers 8 (three Dutch and four US). The Japanese, as reported here, claimed to have destroyed two cruisers and a destroyer, but in reality, only one American cruiser and one destroyer were damaged, and no ships sunk. 03:14 The HNLMS De Ruyter was a light cruiser of the Dutch Navy, laid down in September 1933 and commissioned in October 1936. Its main armament of seven 150mm guns was rather weak compared to other light cruisers, but it was equipped with a modern fire control system. The ships served in the Dutch East Indies. While Japanese propaganda claimed it was sunk during the Battle of Makassar Strait (see entry above), it was only lightly damaged, and was eventually sunk a few weeks later in the Battle of the Java Sea on February 27th. 03:18 The USS Houston was an American heavy cruiser, laid down in May 1928 and commissioned in June 1930. Initially classified as a light cruiser, it was re-designated as a heavy cruiser in July 1931 as a consequence of the London Naval Treaty. The ship was damaged during the Battle of Makassar Strait (see entry above), and was sunk by Japanese torpedoes in the Battle of Sunda Strait on March 1st, 1942. 03:20 This is a Mitsubishi G4M medium bomber, introduced in April 1941 with the Japanese Navy Air Force. Designed as a successor the 1935 Mitsubishi G3M, it had good performance and a high range, but this was achieved by having almost no armor, therefore it was an easy target for Allied pilots. 2,435 built between 1940 and 1945. 03:28 What is named here as the “enemy Southwest Pacific Fleet” is refring to the “American-British-Dutch-Australian Command”, or ABDACOM, a short-lived supreme command, encompassing all Allied naval forces in Southeast Asia. It was formed in January 1942, but with the Japanese successes in the Battle of the Java Sea, where the ABDA strike force was completely wiped out, it ceased to exist in March 1942. 03:29 This is referring to Thomas C. Hart (1877-1971) an American Admiral during WWII. He joined the US Navy in 1897, serving on the USS Massachusetts in the Spanish-American War, before becoming a submarine staff officer in WWI. In July 1939, he was made commander of the US Asian Fleet, and in mid-January 1942, commander of ABDACOM (see entry above). Unlike claimed here, he did not die during combat, but after the destruction of ABDACOMs strike group, returned to the US in March 1942 and retired in July 1942, but was re-called to duty as a member of the US Navy General Board in August 1942. He served as a Senator for Connecticut from February 1945 to November 1946. 04:14 Singapore, a British stronghold in the Pacific, was attacked and captured by the Japanese between 8th and 15th February 1942. The city was heavily fortified, and the British had 85,000 troops in it with over 300 guns and 50 fortress guns, also many of the troops were proper units, including one British and one Australian division. The Japanese attacked with only 36,000 troops but managed to cut off the supplies and destroy much of the water distribution network in Singapore, forcing the British defenders to capitulate on February 15th. This caused a shockwave in Britain, especially because the defenders outnumbered the Japanese attackers and also because the British public, including Prime Minister Churchill, could not understand how 80,000 British soldiers, many of them white soldiers from England and Australia, would capitulate against 36,000 Japanese, which were still largely seen as racially inferior. 05:30 The Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo is considered one of the most important shrines in Japan, and is the central shrine for worshipping the spirits of fallen Japanese soldiers. 05:53 The Southern Army was one of the four Japanese main armies, similar to an army group in other countries. It was formed on November 6th, 1941, and it was responsible for all military operations in Southeast Asia and Southwest Pacific, thereby taking part in the invasions of the Philippines, French Indochina, Dutch East Indies, New Guinea and other regions. The Southern Army had up to 1,000,000 soldiers. It was also responsible defending these territories against the Allies from 1943 onwards, where they suffered heavy losses. The Southern Army was led from its formation until it was dissolved by General (from 1943 Field Marshal) Hisaichi Terauchi (1879-1946). 06:34 This is a Type 97 Chi-Ha medium tank. Designed in 1936, it was built between 1938 and 1943. It was initially armed with a 57mm tank gun and had up to 25mm armament. In 1939, after the Battle of Khalkin Gol, it was decided that the tank needed a better gun, and a new 47mm high velocity AT-gun was developed between 1939 and 1941. From 1942 onwards, the new variant, known as Type 97 Kai, was built. All in all, 1,162 Chi-Ha and 930 Type 97 Kai were built and used basically on all fronts. Against light American tanks, such as the M3 Stuart, it could easily prevail, but Shermans could only be penetrated from the side or the rear. 06:53 The truck in front is a Toyota GB, an improvised version of the Toyota GA, the first truck ever built by Toyota. Introduced in 1938 and powered by a 3,4 liter I-6 with 75 hp, 19,870 units were produced between December 1938 and April 1942. The truck directly behind it is a Nissan 80, the first truck ever built by Nissan, introduced in 1937, powered by a 85hp 3,7 liter I-6 and built until 1943. 07:00 This is a Type 98 medium tractor Ro-Ke, a tracked artillery mover, introduced in 1939. It had a 120hp Diesel engine; 1,983 were built in WWII. 07:03 This gun is most likely a Type 96 15cm Howitzer, an artillery piece designed between 1920 and 1934, produced from 1937 to 1945. It had a maximum range of 11,900m, and 440 were produced. 07:50 This bridge is the Johor-Singapore Causeway, a 1,056 rail and street bridge connecting Johor with Singapore. Build between 1919 and 1924, it was blown up by the retreating British forces in late January 1942, temporarily repaired by the Japanese during their occupation of Singapore and finally fully repaired after WWII. 08:27 This is most likely a Mitsubishi Ki-21 heavy bomber, designed in 1936 and introduced in 1938. It was reasonably fast, could achieve up to 485kmh and carry up to 1,000 kilos of bombs, but the lack of armor and only a few 7,7mm MGs for defense meant that combat losses were high, later variants had better armor and more defensive weapons. 2,064 planes made between 1938 and 1945.
Remarks, Part II: 09:02 Hideki Tojo (1884-1948) was a Japanese General and Politician who served as the 40th Prime Minister of Japan from October 1941 to July 1944. He joined the Japanese Military as an Officer in 1905, serving in various staff positions and quickly developing an interest in politics. After becoming Chief of Staff of the Kwantung Army in 1935 and leading it in the first stages in the Sino-Japanese war, he returned to Japan in May 1938, he became Vice Army Minister, and finally in July 1940 Army Minister. He quickly became one of the most influential Japanese politicians and was an advocate of an alliance with Germany and Italy. After Prime Minister Konoe failed to reach a diplomatic solution with the USA, he resigned, and Emperor Hirohito made Tojo the new Prime Minister. Tojo was ultimately responsible for escalation the strained relations with the USA to a war, beginning with the attack on Pearl Harbor. HWhen the war situation turned against Japan, more and more influential politicians demanded his resignation, and he was finally forced to resign in July 1944. After Japan’s surrender in 1945, Tojo was arrested by the Americans and tried by the International Military Tribunal for the Far East, found guilty of war crimes and waging a war of aggression and ordering mistreatment of prisoners and civilians, and was hanged on December 23rd, 1948. 09:20 The Burma Road was a road connecting Burma a British colony back then) with China, built in 1937 and 1938 to supply China with war supplies. Preventing these supplies was one of the main motivations behind the Japanese occupation of Burma in May 1942. 09:28 Chongqing is a city in central China. During the war with Japan, it served as the capital of China from 1937 to 1945, after the actual Chinese capital, Nanking, was captured by Japanese troops in December 1937. It is used here to refer to the Chinese Government, just like cities like Washington or London are used synonymously to refer to the American/British government. 09:46 Just like other governments, the Japanese government sold war bonds to the public to finance the war. Back then, 10 Yen was basically the monthly salary of a Private, so a lot of money.
As sound theme for Singapore conquer was used Rossini´s Semiramide Overture. Same music that was used for German UFA Ton-Woche Newsreel in occasion of the Hitler's 50th birthday in April 1939.
Never seen before! Excellent posting (I was expecting the background music to be a little more Japanese sounding!). 😀 Since Holland was occupied by Germany at that time, why were the Dutch colonies in East Asia still fighting?
