Malaya What If

[Fatboy Coxy]

Whose time? London, Singapore, tokyo, Washington?

It really make me wonder, is there *any* level of defense of Singapore/Malaya that would cause the Japanese to pull enough Army troops from the Philippines to make a significant difference (just as a guide having MacArthur evacuate/die more than a month later, or even survive without evacuating at all)

Hi naraht, that's a good question. In the main, its Singapore time, however, I've been quite bad at this in retrospect, as I'm sure some of my North African times are actually wrong (they maybe Singapore time and not of the appropriate time zone). And again some of the Churchill posts might also be askew. The Pearl Harbor event is defiantly set at Singapore time, but the post will note the Hawaii local time as well.

It's a problem for me because I will have posts that are happening within hours of each other, and I've tried to write everything chronologically. I guess I should have asked how others manage it in their timelines on the writers forum, back when I first started writing. I'll make sure you have a local time as well as the chronological time in future posts.

Regarding the second question, I don't think the Japanese can pull any troops from the Philippines, historically there were some units sent from the Malayan Campaign to the Philippines, but this had been planned pre operations. Perhaps there is a possibility of fixing the British force in Malaya (strategically), and pushing harder through Borneo, developing a central thrust with the two wings (Malaya and Philippines neutralised in stalemate), but the IJN would have the final say in that, not the Army, I think. I think we've got to see if the British can get to a position of holding the Japanese invasion of Malaya first, before we can play out that option, but it's a thought.

Re the MacArthur bit, he's not dying, if that's what your asking, I'll keep him as historical as possible, otherwise he might take over my whole 'what if'

 

[Fatboy Coxy]

"A whistle blew, which was taken up by other whistles, truck horns, and shouts. Five PM: the working day was done. Vehicles and tools to be secured, time for a shower and change, dinner at 7pm, but a drink first! For the men of 8th Canadian ACC, tomorrow would be an easy day: all dressed up for Sunday service, and then dismissed for an afternoon of sport, or a bit of make and mend, and maybe write a letter for home."-post 5629.

These lads are soon going to be facing an abrupt change in their plans and routines. One hopes in TTL they don't end up building railroads in Thailand.

Hi Draconis, not railroads, as they build airfields, but hold that thought for about, oh, twenty posts!

 

[JWilly48519]

However to achieve this plainly obviuos improvements you need individual courage to stand out of the mainstream opinion, perception or world view. This would take courage since you will be relentlesly quiestioned, attacked or canceled, to use a modern term. (...) I just want to make clear it takes a lot of mental courage to swim against the stream. This psygological part is often forgotten.

R-R:

Gave both men the fortitude to totally ignore what was considered the right way to do things, and instead chose to make the sensible but unconventional choices. (...) And as the young man under their respective commands see what’s occurring, they will feel more emboldened to take risks and forward more modern attitudes.

Yes. When you're commanded by someone that has had the experience of going against the mainstream, and then getting undeserved blame for the mainstream having been wrong, then...if you are an independent thinker, similarly not locked into what the mainstream expects...it's far easier for you to *act* intelligently even if the mainstream perspective differs, because your commander sees himself as an independent thinker, and thinks independent thinkers should be valued, and has a good chance of recognizing that you're an independent thinker.

Rommel, for much of his French and North African tenures, was able to act independently and therefore be quite unpredictable by opponents who expected conventional actions, because his ultimate boss...Mr. H...knew from when a younger Rommel had been a military aide that Rommel was an independent thinker with a great deal of initiative and drive to succeed, so Mr. H let the senior military leadership know to give him free rein.

 

[Butchpfd]

Who's willing to bet he would've STILL been caught with his pants down in April 1942?

Of course because Japan would have had 6 more months to prepare. Of course that's 6 more months for Hart to prepare and get his re-enforcement requests filled. By then Sangley Point would likely have the seaplane pad lengthened to runway length to handle the newerPBY-5As that would have been added to PatWing 10, which would have allowed wheeled aircraft added to Asiatic Fleet. In addition, more facilities at Davo, Illio and Puerto Princessa ; Starting to develop the proposed fleet anchorage at Tutu Bay off Jolo.

 

[Mark1878]

It's a problem for me because I will have posts that are happening within hours of each other, and I've tried to write everything chronologically. I guess I should have asked how others manage it in their timelines on the writers forum, back when I first started writing. I'll make sure you have a local time as well as the chronological time in future posts.

How about giving each post two times - one in the local time e.g. Singapore, Philippines, Hawaii and the other in a constant time zone e.g. GMT or Japanese as I think they used one time zone for all their actions or given the core of this timeline could be Singapore time.

The local time helps to see what the action is about and all helps to match OTL history books e.g. Americans seeing things as 7th December and Singapore as 8th.
The common time zone helps to keep the posts in order.

 

[Fatboy Coxy]

How about giving each post two times - one in the local time e.g. Singapore, Philippines, Hawaii and the other in a constant time zone e.g. GMT or Japanese as I think they used one time zone for all their actions or given the core of this timeline could be Singapore time.

The local time helps to see what the action is about and all helps to match OTL history books e.g. Americans seeing things as 7th December and Singapore as 8th.
The common time zone helps to keep the posts in order.

Hi Mark1878, yes that's what I'll do going forward.