Did Singapore Have to Fall? ― Churchill and the Impregnable Fortress

This book provides a sophisticated summary of up-to-date knowledge on the Fall of Singapore, including the critical tensions between Churchill and local commanders. A focus on the role of Churchill, and on his understanding of the guns and Singapore's fortifications, makes the Fortress central to understanding why and how Singapore fell as it did. The book includes a range of quotations that give the flavour of the time and the essence of the debates. No other book allows the reader to get a clear overview of the base, the plans, the campaign, the guns and the remaining heritage, all in one place.

Karl Hack teaches history at the National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. He specialises in Southeast Asian history, imperialism and counterinsurgency.
Kevin Blackburn teaches history at the National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. He is an Australian historian who specialises in Australian history and in war and memory.