First Battle in Pacific Theater Wasn't at Pearl

The Japanese attack on Malaya started on December 8th 1941 and ended with the surrender of British forces at Singapore. Malaya was a major prize for the Japanese as it produced 38% of the world’s rubber and 58% of the world’s tin. The capture of Singapore would provide Japan with a highly valuable military base in the region and it would also greatly undermine British authority in the region. The Japanese commander for the attack on Malaya was General Yamashita. He had under his command the XXV Army made up of 60,000 soldiers many of whom had gained experience in the war against China. He could also count on III Air Group, which had 459 aircraft and the Japanese Navy’s Southern Command, which comprised of a battle cruiser, ten destroyers and five submarines.