The region covered extends from Hong Kong to Malaya, including Borneo, Singapore and parts of Burma, and highlights the British and Dutch colonies. The strategic importance of the region to Japan and the Allies, the historical background of the conflict and the prevailing situation in China and Indochina provide the curtain raiser. The impact of terrain and climate on the operations, strengths of the opposing forces, strategies adopted by the two adversaries and the prevailing local political environment are well covered.
The military aims and appreciation of the Japanese and the Allies, the priorities given by them to the theatre and their battle readiness makes interesting reading. While the Japanese were very well trained, equipped and determined to capture the region, the Allied Forces were not so well prepared, their attention being focused more on the War in Europe, where they were losing to Germany. Thus, the region was on low priority. In these circumstances, the bulk of the responsibility fell on Indian units of the British Indian Army.
The Allied troops of III Indian Corps (under Lt. Gen. Percival) fought bravely, they were overwhelmed by Japanese of 25th Army under Marshal Yamashita. The volumes record the story of their operations in Hong Kong, Malaya, Singapore and Borneo, a tale of Defeat and Disaster, leading to withdrawal and finally, surrender of the region. The operations commenced on 8 December 1941 and ended on 15 February 1942, 30 days earlier than the Japanese had planned.

Having planned the operations in detail and mustered adequate forces, the Japanese offensive commenced on 8 December 1941, by a simultaneous air and naval bombardment of Hong Kong (from mainland China) and Malaya peninsula (from Thailand), along with the attack on Pearl Harbour. A credible deception plan was implemented, which lured the Allied Forces to expect the major attack from the South East, while the actual offensive was land based, from the north.
The Hong Kong brigade which included two Indian units (5 Rajput and 2/14 Punjab), fought bravely, but the war was over in less than a fortnight, the garrison surrendering on 23 December.
In Malaya, the Allied troops fought to stem the offensive by occupying successive delaying positions based on rivers, road communications, towns and villages, but were by-passed by the Japanese Forces, who adopted the tactics of infiltration, encirclement, establishing road blocks for cutting routes of withdrawal and launched multidirectional attacks, often through thick jungles, swamps and rubber plantations. Fighting was severe from both sides, casualties heavy, but Japanese troops pressed their attacks fiercely, especially at night. The attackers also used Fifth Columnists, moved on cycles and vehicles, employed tanks and aircraft and did speed marches, to outpace the opponents. Initially, they did not land troops on beaches, but in later stages carried out small scale seaborne operations, mainly to trap Allied troops.
The withdrawal from Malaya was completed on 4 February 1942, and the troops fell back to Singapore, where a do-or die battle to the last man last round was planned to be fought. Though there were a few very brave actions fought by the Commonwealth Forces, the fighting ended on 15 February, when all Allied troops surrendered.
Having achieved victory a month ahead of their forecast, the Japanese turned to the Dutch colonies of Borneo and Sarawak, where British Indian Army including 2/15 Punjab were deployed. Here also, though the defenders put up brave resistance, the war was over by 13th March 1942.
Records show that the Allies dithered in decision making, and did not launch a pre-emptive strike on Japanese troops concentrating across the Thailand-Malaya border.