Eighty Years Ago: Asia Pacific, Jan 15 – 21, 1942

Jan 15, 1942: Japanese forces occupy Labuan island off British Borneo

Jan 16, 1942: Japanese troops advance in British colony of Burma and are greeted as liberators in several locations

Jan 17, 1942: Chinese forces in possession of large amounts of Japanese equipment after battle of Changsha. On photo above, two Chinese soldiers wearing captured Japanese helmets show off Japanese so-called ‘knee mortars’

Jan 18, 1942: In battle along the Muar River on the Malay peninsula, British-led forces knock out several Japanese tanks

Jan 19, 1942: Japanese troops reinforced by tanks engage in fierce fighting with Commonwealth troops along Muar River on Malay peninsula

Jan 20, 1942: Japanese Army enters British colony of Burma in force

Jan 21, 1942: Japanese forces keep up pressure on US and Philippine defenses on Bataan peninsula

Categories: War

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