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The Battle of Singapore Begins:

On February 3, Japanese artillery began hammering targets on Singapore and air attacks against the garrison intensified. British guns, including the city's heavy coastal guns, responded but in the latter case their armor-piercing rounds proved largely ineffective. On February 8, the first Japanese landings began on Singapore's northwest coast. Elements of the Japanese 5th and 18th Divisions came ashore at Sarimbun Beach and met fierce resistance from Australian troops. By midnight, they had overwhelmed the Australians and forced them to retreat.

Believing that future Japanese landings would come in the northeast, Percival elected not to reinforce the battered Australians. Widening the battle, Yamashita conducted landings in the southwest on February 9. Encountering the 44th Indian Brigade, the Japanese were able to drive them back. Retreating east, Bennett formed a defensive line just east of Tengah airfield at Belim. To the north, Brigadier Duncan Maxwell's 27th Australian Brigade inflicted heavy losses on Japanese forces as they attempted to land west of the causeway. Maintaining control of the situation, they held the enemy to a small beachhead.

The End Nears:

Unable to communicate with the Australian 22nd Brigade on his left and concerned about encirclement, Maxwell ordered his troops to fall back from their defensive positions on the coast. This withdrawal allowed the Japanese to begin landing armored units on the island. Pressing south, they outflanked Bennett's "Jurong Line" and pushed towards the city. Aware of the deteriorating situation, but knowing that the defenders outnumbered the attackers, Prime Minister Winston Churchill cabled General Archibald Wavell, Commander-in-Chief, India, that Singapore was to hold out at all costs and should not surrender.

This message was forwarded to Percival with orders that the latter should fight to the end. On February 11, Japanese forces captured the area around Bukit Timah as well as much of Percival's ammunition and fuel reserves. The area also gave Yamashita control of the bulk of the island's water supply. Though his campaign had been successful to date, the Japanese commander was desperately short of supplies and sought to bluff Percival into ending "this meaningless and desperate resistance." Refusing, Percival was able to stabilize his lines in southeast part of the island and repelled Japanese attacks on February 12.

The Surrender:

Slowly being pushed back on February 13, Percival was asked by his senior officers about surrendering. Rebuffing their request, he continued the fight. The next day, Japanese troops secured Alexandra Hospital and massacred around 200 patients and staff. Early on the morning of February 15, the Japanese succeeded in breaking through Percival's lines. This coupled with the exhaustion of the garrison's anti-aircraft ammunition led Percival to meet with his commanders at Fort Canning. During the meeting, Percival proposed two options: an immediate strike at Bukit Timah to regain the supplies and water or surrendering.

Informed by his senior officers that no counterattack was possible, Percival saw little choice other than surrender. Dispatching a messenger to Yamashita, Percival met with the Japanese commander at the Ford Motor Factory later that day to discuss terms. The formal surrender was completed shortly after 5:15 that evening.



Battle of Singapore, February 1942. Japanese victorious troops march through the city center.

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Convoys
Germany used the U-Boat (Undersea-boat) to great advantage early in World War I to isolate Great Britain from much of its food, oil, and raw materials. Several days before the outbreak of World War II, German U-Boats were already on the prowl against supply ships, and again Britain instituted convoys, which had been so successful in limiting losses 20 years earlier.
The downside to convoys were the delays involved: waiting to assemble; taking a common, but often longer route; reducing speed to match the slowest ship, and delays in unloading because of congestion. This cut cargo-carrying capacity by one-third.

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In the nearly 20 years following the end of the World War I, America's merchant fleet, including its cargo and passenger ships, was becoming obsolete and declining in numbers. A shipbuilding program began with the passage of the Merchant Marine Act of 1936. However, World War II provided the impetus to intensify those efforts eventually leading to a ship-building program that produced 5,500 vessels. Among them were 2,710 mass-produced ships known as Liberty ships. While reviewing blueprints of the Liberty ships at the White House, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who loved naval vessels and had an eye for design, mused aloud to Maritime Commission administrator Admiral Emory S. Land, "I think this ship will do us very well. She'll carry a good load. She isn't much to look at, though, is she? A real ugly duckling."² Thus, the Liberty ships received their second nickname, "the ugly ducklings."
When the United States entered World War II at the end of 1941, it had the beginnings of a great merchant fleet. But the lethal U-Boats, submarines of the German Navy, prowled the shipping lanes hunting American merchant ships. The Liberty ships proved to be too slow and too small to carry the tons of supplies the United States and her Allies would need to win the war. In 1943, the United States began a new ship-building program. These new ships would be faster, larger, and able to carry cargo long after the war was finished. These were the Victory ships.
The Liberty and Victory ships fulfilled President Roosevelt's prophetic words, serving the nation well in war and peace. Today, of the thousands of Liberty ships and Victory ships built during World War II, only a handful remains.


M3 Stuart
Design

With events in Europe in 1940, the Army realized the M2 was inadequate and the decision was made to modernize it. A new design with thicker armor was standardized on July 5, 1940.6,7 Production started in March 1941 at the American Car & Foundry.7 It was based on the M2A4, but had thicker armor that was homogeneous rolled and the idler wheel was placed on the ground to act as another road wheel to help distribute the weight
Initially the engine was the Continental but shortages caused it to be replaced by the Guiberson T-1020 diesel, and fitted into 500 M3s.8
Tracks could often last 1,000 miles, whereas other models required replacement at 500 miles.
During production the riveted turret was replaced by a welded one 7-sided one.6 Also in early 1942 an all welded hull was produced.
It had volute spring suspension with the rear idler on the ground. This reduced the ground pressure and gave support to the rear of the tank.
Layout

The engines were in the rear with the drive going to the front sprockets, which was controlled by differential steering.7 The rear idler was located on the ground which helped in supporting the rear of the M3.6
Crew

The driver was on the left and the hull gunner/assistant driver on the right.6,7 They could see out through windshields in their hatches.6
The gunner and commander/loader were in seats that were in the M3's turret basket.6
Engine

Internally the M3 carried 56 gallons of fuel.6 Some tanks had two 25 gallon external tanks added, and these were jettisonable once combat started.6