All that terrain known how is useless if they so decide to drop
off a neutron bomb...
And we have had foreign talent for defence for a while. Gurkhas
anyone?
damned you beat me to it.
i 'd throw in fillipino and china nurses as well.
our home front can accept foreign talent in medical sectors but
cannot accept foreign talent in army ?
@commander31,
the brits failed for a mulitude of reasons,
foremost for not seizing the initiative when they anticipated
the japanese landings and stopping them at chokepoints in
Malaya.
competency in leadership : while percival was a brilliant staff
officer who anticipated correctly where the japanese would land and
how they would move down the malayan peninsular, he didnt dare to
launch operation matador [his hands were tied actually, again,
metaphorically speaking] , which would have repelled the japanese.
He wasnt a battle tested warrior like yamashita.
Percival's direct opposite, Yamashita, was fresh from Japan's
war in china and was a seasoned field commander (unlike the green
and unexperienced Percival). His rapid attack and use of unorthodox
warfare like bicycles and tanks allowed rapid japanese advance.
his bluff at the end of the battle of singapore (his troops were
running out of arty shells and ammunition) managed to win the day.
luck certainly was a factor. Had the British refused to surrender,
there would probably be a likelihood of british forces repelling
the intial wave of Japanese invasion and bunkering down in
singapore.
plenty of other reasons like if the prince of wales and repulse
werent sunk and all that too. but ild summarize it with this.
Britain had a game plan, its just that Britain didnt execute its
game plan well enough and effectively enough to counter the
Japanese.