Just how much will the numerous small changes in British preparedness effect the eventual Japanese invasion of Malaya. Let us start with what is probably the least costly, but in all probability the most significant and effective change that has taken place. And the one that will have a major effect on any invasion, and do more to defeat it than any other. This is the change in the administrative process, with the Governor General, now having a regular, every Monday morning minuted meeting with first his inner war council, followed by a similar recorded and minuted meeting with his general council. I am of the opinion that this action will have the greatest impact for minimum cost, on future events, and will be the precursor to all the subsequent changes that take place. The modernisation of the administration, has made the colonies Malaya and Singapore both more defensible, resilient and equipped to cope with the invasion. Were as IOTL, once the Japanese invaded, the civil and military authorities began to collapse and lost all control over the countries. ITTL, those same authorities will retain the control, and thus be far more effective, and less liable to panic. This will come as major surprise for the Japanese, who have previously only faced ineffectual or corrupt civil authorities during their conflict in China. The improvements made to both the basic civil infrastructure and civil defence, will ensure that the collapse of civil society, seen in China and Malaya and Singapore IOTL. Which while they did occur initially in all nations subjected to air attacks, as long as the authorities maintain their own internal control, the general population will become used to air attacks, and generally continue to live the lives as best they can. And if the government can maintain control, the Japanese will find that the mostly easy advance that the enjoyed IOTL, will become instead become an difficult.
The reorganisation of the civil administration that has taken place under the new Governor, his replacement of a number of stuck in the mud colonial fossils, addicted to ridged processes, at the expense of immediate pressing needs. Is not only improving the defence environment, but is also the first step in turning what are at present, a collection of semi independent states, into what will become a unified Federation post war. While on the military front, the forces are being turned from a colonial police force, into a first rate force, capable of fighting against any local enemy and beating them. By the time of the Japanese invasion, other than those units that are slated for internal security duties only. All of the infantry, and the majority of the artillery, engineers and other support personnel, will have completed their basic training, and moved onto the more advanced training including operations in the jungle. While there will be very little armoured support, what there is will also have been trained in local conditions, and have been exposed to the local forces if only so that they have at least seen a tank/armoured car, before meeting it in action. The old trick of making infantry lie down in the path of a tank, and touch the tracks before being able to roll away, might seem like a waste of time. But it does remove some of the fear and mystery, that tanks induce into troops that have only recently seen motor vehicles. The exercises being performed by the new anti aircraft gunners along with the civil defence organisation, police, fire brigade, and other military and government organisations will pay big dividends when inevitably Singapore in particular come under air assault. And remember that unlike the British who had no first hand experience of air assault with advanced aircraft, there are a number of men overseeing these exercises, that have been at the shape end, and very much know what works and what doesn’t.
Note these changes haven’t made the defence of Malaya an easy task, it is going to be a hard fought, brutal and bloody campaign. The civilian population both those who end up under Japanese occupation, and those who stay under British rule, are going to suffer what to them is unimaginable tribulations. Malaya wasn’t conquered in a series of colonial wars, but was essentially bought, Singapore, or entered into originally trading agreements with the local rulers. While there was some very savage civil disturbances, remember the British term, to run amok, comes from Malaya. The various regions have existed mostly peacefully for some time, and Malaya has suffered in the way others have from internal conflicts, or the ravages of the Great Depression. What is coming down the road, is going to be a serious shock to the Malayan community, both ethnic Malay, Chinese, European and others. But after the initial shock and given the preparations made and time to adjust, it’s going to be the Japanese who have the greatest shock. Used up until now to being able to completely dominate the local population and the military opposition, they are going to find themselves fighting a formidable military and competent administration. This opposition will come as a complete blow to the Japanese self belief in their superiority over everyone else, and how they thanks to their Bushido spirit, can overcome any opposition. As the Japanese have compleat control over all the sources of information, unfortunately neither the troops or the Japanese civilian population, will receive any reports of the events in Malaya. They are only going to fed glowing reports of the fantastic success in defeating the hated oppressive European regimes that have been subjugating their fellow asiatics.
RR.
Sorry one and all this post was meant to be on the timeline Malaya What If, my bad.
