8, 1942, 23,000 Japanese forces entered Singapore and by Feb. 15, 1942, the island had fallen.
Despite being outnumbered more than two-to-one — there were British, Canadian, Indian and Australian forces there — the Japanese had superior air power and military intelligence. They destroyed Britain's naval and aerial capabilities before ever stepping foot on the island. On Feb. 8, 1942, 23,000 Japanese forces entered Singapore and by Feb. 15, 1942, the island had fallen. In just a week, Lt. Gen. Arthur Percival had to surrender to the Japanese commander in what is still the largest capitulation in British history.