Battle of Kuala Lumpur
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Kuala Lumpur is a battle between Japanese
invasion forces and the British forces in Kuala Lumpur
, the capital of the then-Federated Malay States
, a British protectorate.
, including Perlis
, Kedah
, Kelantan
, Terengganu
and the Straits Settlement
of Penang
had fallen to Japanese hands.
After the Battle of Slim River
, the Japanese troops' next military objective is Kuala Lumpur
. Being the capital of the Federated Malay States
it is of utmost importance to the Japanese. Kuala Lumpur by then was also the capital of the State of Selangor
. The city was also home to RAF Kuala Lumpur
.
, the railway station
and the Pudu Jail
.
After the battle, the Japs used Pudu Jail
as a POW detention centre. Many Allied POWs were tortured to death, though.
, remained under Japanese occcupation
until September 1945
, when the Japanese home islands surrendered unconditionally after Hiroshima and Nagasaki was nuked by American forces in August 1945. The British Military Administration took over thereafter.
Little is known about the battle, since it did not bear much significance if compare to other greater battles in British Malaya such as the Battle of Singapore
. This piece of history was slowly forgotten by people, as Kuala Lumpur advances to being a global metropolis.
Empire of Japan
The Empire of Japan is the name of the state of Japan that existed from the Meiji Restoration on 3 January 1868 to the enactment of the post-World War II Constitution of...
invasion forces and the British forces in Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
, the capital of the then-Federated Malay States
Federated Malay States
The Federated Malay States was a federation of four protected states in the Malay Peninsula—Selangor, Perak, Negeri Sembilan and Pahang—established by the British government in 1895, which lasted until 1946, when they, together with the Straits Settlements and the Unfederated Malay...
, a British protectorate.
Background
By 7 January, the northern part of MalayaBritish Malaya
British Malaya loosely described a set of states on the Malay Peninsula and the Island of Singapore that were brought under British control between the 18th and the 20th centuries...
, including Perlis
Perlis
Perlis is the smallest state in Malaysia. It lies at the northern part of the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and has Satun and Songkhla Provinces of Thailand on its northern border. It is bordered by the state of Kedah to the south...
, Kedah
Kedah
Kedah is a state of Malaysia, located in the northwestern part of Peninsular Malaysia. The state covers a total area of over 9,000 km², and it consists of the mainland and Langkawi. The mainland has a relatively flat terrain, which is used to grow rice...
, Kelantan
Kelantan
Kelantan is a state of Malaysia. The capital and royal seat is Kota Bharu. The Arabic honorific of the state is Darul Naim, ....
, Terengganu
Terengganu
Terengganu is a sultanate and constitutive state of federal Malaysia. The state is also known by its Arabic honorific, Darul Iman...
and the Straits Settlement
Straits Settlements
The Straits Settlements were a group of British territories located in Southeast Asia.Originally established in 1826 as part of the territories controlled by the British East India Company, the Straits Settlements came under direct British control as a crown colony on 1 April 1867...
of Penang
Penang
Penang is a state in Malaysia and the name of its constituent island, located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia by the Strait of Malacca. It is bordered by Kedah in the north and east, and Perak in the south. Penang is the second smallest Malaysian state in area after Perlis, and the...
had fallen to Japanese hands.
After the Battle of Slim River
Battle of Slim River
The Battle of Slim River occurred during the Malayan campaign in January 1942 between the Imperial Japanese Army and the British Indian Army on the west coast of Malaya.-Background:...
, the Japanese troops' next military objective is Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
. Being the capital of the Federated Malay States
Federated Malay States
The Federated Malay States was a federation of four protected states in the Malay Peninsula—Selangor, Perak, Negeri Sembilan and Pahang—established by the British government in 1895, which lasted until 1946, when they, together with the Straits Settlements and the Unfederated Malay...
it is of utmost importance to the Japanese. Kuala Lumpur by then was also the capital of the State of Selangor
Selangor
Selangor also known by its Arabic honorific, Darul Ehsan, or "Abode of Sincerity") is one of the 13 states of Malaysia. It is on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and is bordered by Perak to the north, Pahang to the east, Negeri Sembilan to the south and the Strait of Malacca to the west...
. The city was also home to RAF Kuala Lumpur
RAF Kuala Lumpur
RAF Kuala Lumpur was an RAF station in the Federation of Malaya and saw extensive use during the Malayan Emergency.-Military:The airfield was home to:* No 155 Squadron operating Whirlwind Mk4 helicopters....
.
Japanese entry
The Japanese entered Kuala Lumpur without much resistance, besides small fightings. The British troops had generally abandoned the city. The Japanese troops quickly took control of government and institutional buildings, such as the Sultan Abdul Samad BuildingSultan Abdul Samad Building
The Sultan Abdul Samad Building is located in front of the Dataran Merdeka and the Royal Selangor Club, by Jalan Raja in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia...
, the railway station
Kuala Lumpur Railway Station
Kuala Lumpur Railway Station is a train station located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Completed in 1910 to replace an older station on the same site, the station was Kuala Lumpur's railway hub in the city for the Federated Malay States Railways and Malayan Railway , before Kuala Lumpur Sentral...
and the Pudu Jail
Pudu Prison
The Pudu Prison was a prison in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Built in phases by the British colonial government between 1891 and 1895, it was located along Jalan Shaw. The construction began with its 394-metre prison wall at a cost of Straits $16,000, and had been adorned with the world's longest mural...
.
After the battle, the Japs used Pudu Jail
Pudu Prison
The Pudu Prison was a prison in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Built in phases by the British colonial government between 1891 and 1895, it was located along Jalan Shaw. The construction began with its 394-metre prison wall at a cost of Straits $16,000, and had been adorned with the world's longest mural...
as a POW detention centre. Many Allied POWs were tortured to death, though.
Aftermath
Kuala Lumpur, with the rest of the peninsulaBritish Malaya
British Malaya loosely described a set of states on the Malay Peninsula and the Island of Singapore that were brought under British control between the 18th and the 20th centuries...
, remained under Japanese occcupation
Japanese occupation of Malaya, North Borneo and Sarawak
Throughout much of World War II, British Malaya, North Borneo and Sarawak were under Japanese occupation.The Japanese Empire commenced the Pacific War with the invasion of Kota Bahru in Kelantan on 8 December 1941 at 00:25, about 90 minutes before the Attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii at 07:48 on 7...
until September 1945
Surrender of Japan
The surrender of Japan in 1945 brought hostilities of World War II to a close. By the end of July 1945, the Imperial Japanese Navy was incapable of conducting operations and an Allied invasion of Japan was imminent...
, when the Japanese home islands surrendered unconditionally after Hiroshima and Nagasaki was nuked by American forces in August 1945. The British Military Administration took over thereafter.
Little is known about the battle, since it did not bear much significance if compare to other greater battles in British Malaya such as the Battle of Singapore
Battle of Singapore
The Battle of Singapore was fought in the South-East Asian theatre of the Second World War when the Empire of Japan invaded the Allied stronghold of Singapore. Singapore was the major British military base in Southeast Asia and nicknamed the "Gibraltar of the East"...
. This piece of history was slowly forgotten by people, as Kuala Lumpur advances to being a global metropolis.
See also
- Battle of Slim RiverBattle of Slim RiverThe Battle of Slim River occurred during the Malayan campaign in January 1942 between the Imperial Japanese Army and the British Indian Army on the west coast of Malaya.-Background:...
- Battle of SingaporeBattle of SingaporeThe Battle of Singapore was fought in the South-East Asian theatre of the Second World War when the Empire of Japan invaded the Allied stronghold of Singapore. Singapore was the major British military base in Southeast Asia and nicknamed the "Gibraltar of the East"...
- Operation TideraceOperation TideraceOperation Tiderace was the codename of the British plan to retake Singapore in 1945. The liberation force was led by Lord Louis Mountbatten, Supreme Allied Commander of South East Asia Command...
(1945) - British Military Administration