In the previous week, we covered the fall of two of the first places the Japanese had attacked,
Hong Kong and Wake Island, and we also watched General MacArthur’s forces start their
catastrophic withdrawal into Bataan, where they would resist until reinforcements could arrive to
save them. In Malaya, the British defenders were also in a difficult position, nearly thrown off
the center of the peninsula. Today, we are going to continue our coverage over the events unfolding
in the Malay Peninsula and in the Philippines, but first, we are going to take a quick detour
to China, where major combat resumed for the first time since the attack on Pearl Harbor.
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The outbreak of the Pacific War did not alter the main objective of the Japanese operations
against China, which was the overthrow of Chiang Kai-shek’s regime and the establishment of a
puppet Chinese government . Most of the Japanese forces had been allocated to China since 1938,
but the opening of a new front to the south meant that some divisions would have to be transferred
to partake in the offensives launched in the Pacific, although the Japanese position in
the region would remain strong enough to continue the occupation of most of the strategic locations
that had been conquered. Tokyo also hoped that the capture of Hong Kong, Burma and any
other means for the Allies to supply China would eventually force Chiang Kai-shek to surrender.
But in the first weeks of the war, in accordance with orders from the Allies,
Chinese forces resumed vigorous guerrilla warfare against the invaders,
although the Japanese would quickly take the upper hand and beat them off. The failures
of the National Revolutionary Army during these first few weeks of the war left Chiang Kai-shek
unwilling to start any new major operations during the start of the year 1942. The Japanese,
focused on their southern expansion through the Pacific, were also cautious from embarking on
offensives against the fierce and numerous Chinese defenders. And yet, there would be one exception.
Back on December 13, Lieutenant-General Anami Korechika of the 11th Army had ordered his forces
to prepare for a sortie south of the Yangtze River. After moving his forces south of Yoyang,
the 6th and 40th Divisions began their advance at dusk, driving the
Chinese defenders towards Kuanwangchiao and then expeling them from the town.
The following day, Anami sent the 3rd Division to travel along the Guangzhou-Hankou railway, then
crossing the Ku Shui near Kueii and easily routing the 99th Army. General Xue Yue of the 9th War Area
quickly reacted by moving two armies to the left bank of the Ku Shui, but by December 29, all
Japanese divisions had crossed the river and had started offensives against the Chinese defenders.
At this point, Anami recognized that the Changsha area was inadequately defended, so he decided to
commit to a full-on attack to capture the city. The next day, the Japanese divisions broke through
the enemy lines one by one, routing the 37th Army and then continuing their drive towards Changsha.
While the 3rd and 6th Divisions were ordered to directly continue against their objective,
Anami ordered the 40th to take the town of Mafengtsui to the southeast before capturing
Chinching, another important city. By December 31st, the 6th had taken the town of Langlishih and
the 3rd was already on the outskirts of Changsha . Japanese troops then started their attack on
the city, managing to infiltrate the city’s castle but facing fierce Chinese resistance
in the form of the 10th Army. Meanwhile, the 40th Division reached Chinching on January 1,
starting its attack on the city one day later. The remnants of the 37th Army were easily beaten off
and by January 2, Chinching had fallen into Japanese hands.
At the same time, the 6th Division joined the 3rd in its assault against Changsha, slowly
but surely overcoming the Chinese defenders. By January 4, the city had fallen to the Japanese
and the main objective of Anami’s operation had been achieved. But Xue Yue was now reuniting his
forces for a general counterattack, and he was not going to let the enemy take his city so easily.
For the Chinese counteroffensive, we’ll have to wait until next week,
because first we need to return to the Pacific to take a look at the operations happening in Malaya
and the Philippines. On December 28, the situation was desperate for the
Americans under General MacArthur, forced to execute a difficult withdrawal into Bataan
that required a great deal of coordination between the North and South Luzon Forces.
In the north, Japanese pressure had forced General Wainwright’s forces to abandon their second line
and to retreat to a new defensive line between the towns of San Miguel and Cabanatuan;
and in the south, the Japanese 16th Division had reached the Los Baños line,
facing staunch American resistance to continue their drive on Manila.
The following day, the Japanese had already gotten to the towns of Tarlac and Bongabon,
so they were now applying heavy pressure on Wainwright’s new line with their tanks and
superior firepower. At this point, General Homma also realized the extent of MacArthur’s plan,
so he sent the 7th Tank Regiment as a vanguard to move fast and capture any
bridges and road junctions that would allow them to entrap the retreating defenders.
Among the 7th’s targets were the vital road junction of Plaridel and the steel
bridges of Calumpit, where the South Luzon Force needed to pass to get to Bataan.
Meanwhile in Malaya, the Japanese 5th Division had crossed the Perak River by December 26,
later joined by the 4th Guards Regiment which had taken part in the invasion of Thailand.
They would then continue to press the British rearguard in the next few days,
preparing for a general offensive against Kampar. Back on December 24, General Murray-Lyon was
sacked due to his incompetence, and was replaced by Brigadier Archibald Paris as commander of the
11th Indian Division. By December 29, the 11th had established defensive positions around Kampar,
which was a key point for the defense of central Malaya, as it was not easily outflanked inland.
Paris then deployed the 15th Brigade north of Kampar, with the 28th Brigade covering
the Trunk Road from Dipang around the eastern side of the Bujang Melaka and with the 12th
Brigade at Bidor to cover possible Japanese outflanking attempts via the Perak River.
In turn, General Yamashita planned to capture Kampar in three thrusts: a first direct attack on
Kampar by the 41st Regiment; a second encircling movement to the west by the 42nd Regiment,
aimed against the 11th Indian Division’s left flank; and a third outflanking landing at the
mouth of the Bernam River by the 11th Regiment that would cut the British line of communications.
On December 30, the 55th Regiment had also landed at Kota Bharu,
then starting to advance down the coast behind the 56th Regiment to launch a joint attack on Kuantan.
In the first two days of the Kampar operation, the Japanese troops would move slowly to their
designated objectives, trying to strike at the British defenders with a surprise attack powerful
enough to knock them off the battle. Furthermore, the 42nd got itself stalled by swamps and spent
three days in a difficult march that prevented them from participating in the offensive.
At the same time that this was happening, Homma’s forces finally managed to break through
Wainwright’s third line when they took the town of San Miguel. The American defenders would then be
forced to retreat to their last line, ranging from Fort Stotsenburg to the Sibul Springs.
Concurrently, the 7th Tank Regiment was also traveling towards Gapan a short distance away
from the last American line. By December 31, the 7th had broken through this last line,
getting itself in the vicinity of Baliuag, a town that stood in the way to Plaridel.
Homma’s other forces were also rapidly pushing the American defenders to the town of San Fernando,
where Wainwright knew that he needed to make a final stand.
Back in Malaya, following a heavy artillery barrage, the 41st Regiment started its attack down
the Trunk Road. British resistance was fierce, yet they barely managed to repel the enemy assault,
although artillery of the 15th Brigade did inflict many losses on the Japanese regiment.
At this point, the small convoy of boats of the 11th Regiment had also already passed off
Pangkor Island, arriving at the mouth of the Bernam River during the evening of January 1.
They would then land at Utan Melitang, driving a small British patrol there and securing
possession of this vital crossroad. This was very bad for the Malayan defenders, posing a
huge threat to their line of communications. In response, Paris moved one battalion of the
28th Brigade to the Slim River, where he began to build a secondary defensive line.
Yet this left Percival concerned for the safety of the Kuantan airfield, which he needed to
hold at least until January 10 to be able to receive reinforcements, as the fall of the
airfield would give Japanese fighters the chance to jeopardize their arrival. In defense of Kuantan
was the 22nd Brigade, and Percival urged them to at least hold the airfield until January 6,
something that seemed near impossible. At the same time, the 7th Tank Regiment finally took the town
of Baliuag and then advanced to engage M3 Stuart light tanks at Plaridel. In this tank battle,
the M3s, supported by artillery of the 71st Division, managed to push the Ha-Gos back.
Concurrently, the South Luzon Force of General Jones had reached the Calumpit steel bridges.
While his troops crossed it, Jones also sent two tank platoons to engage the Japanese tanks
at Baliuag and thus create enough time for the Americans to pull out. The American armor would
engage the 7th in the afternoon, disrupting the Japanese force and successfully delaying their
advance. By the end of the day, the last of the South Luzon Force moved past Calumpit, blowing up
the twin bridges behind them so the 16th Division couldn’t follow them. The next day, units of the
16th occupied Manila, with Homma moving his headquarters to the Philippine's capital.
Other units of the 16th were also already crossing the Pampanga River at Calumpit,
while the 48th Division was concentrating around San Fernando, where the 11th and 21st Divisions
made a last stand in front of the entrance to Bataan. Homma launched costly attack after attack
against the battered divisions, but the Filipino forces would hold their ground until January 4,
then starting to withdraw towards Layac, where they formed a new defensive line.
January 2 would also see the end of the Battle of Kampar,
although it wouldn’t have the same outcome of the successful American withdrawal.
At daybreak, the 41st again started an attack against the 15th Brigade, suffering heavy losses
while overrunning a British platoon. Yet the British defenders organized a strong counterattack
that at first was met by heavy machine-gun fire, but eventually managed to drive the Japanese off.
Despite the heroic resistance of the 15th Brigade, to the west, the 4th Guards Regiment landed
at Teluk Anson and engaged the battered 12th Brigade by mid-afternoon. Heavy fighting ensued,
but the Japanese threat of encirclement was enough for Paris to order a withdrawal to the Slim River.
At Kuantan, the two Japanese regiments had also crossed the river and were now heading
towards the airfield. The 22nd Brigade was preparing for a difficult confrontation,
but when the news of Paris’ retreat reached them, the entire 9th Indian Division of General Barstow
was forced to withdraw through the Kuala Lipis-Jerantut-Raub area.
The 22nd immediately proceeded to demolish all buildings and installations in Kuantan before
starting their retreat, but at night, their rearguard would be caught in the midst of
the Japanese attack. The Indians were demolished in the assault, losing a third of the brigade’s
strength , but the rest of the 22nd managed to retreat without further incidents by January 3.
That same day, the 4th Guards Regiment advanced up to the Selangor River and then turned inland
towards the bridges at Batang Berjuntai, thus threatening the key city of Kuala Selangor and
its valuable airfield. At the same time, General Percival received his first reinforcement at
Singapore, the 45th Brigade, immediately sending it to repel the enemy advance on Selangor.
But would it succeed? And would Paris’ new defensive line hold the Japanese invaders? For
these answers, join us next week as we cover the Battle of the Slim River and the continuation of
the advance down the Malay Peninsula. If you want to get the weekly coverage of the Pacific war,
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