Churchill to blame for fall of Singapore? Buck stopped at Churchill's desk says Ong Chit Chung I REFER to Mr Roger Boniface's letter on World War II in Malaya and Singapore (ST, April 8). I will confine my response to the points covered in my book. I agree with Mr Boniface that "the doctrine of ministerial responsibility would make Churchill responsible for the fall of Singapore". Winston Churchill, as head of the War Cabinet, was ultimately responsible for the overall strategic conduct of the war, in particular the strategic allocation of military resources for the different theatres of operations. He decided to give greater priority to Europe, the Middle East and even Russia. It was he who underestimated the Japanese threat consistently. In 1941, he sent 440 aircraft to Russia, despite the Chiefs of Staff's considered view that they would pay a better dividend if sent to the Far East or Middle East. Malaya and Singapore were in fact relegated to the bottom rung of priorities. Without modern aircraft and an adequate fleet, crucial command of the air and sea was lost. Whether Churchill was wholly to blame was a matter of perspective. There is no doubt that Lieutenant-General Arthur Percival was not a forceful commander and that he did not inspire confidence. He should be held responsible for the poor tactical conduct of the operations on the ground. But this does not in any way lessen Churchill's responsibility for the strategic conduct of the war. After all, he was the Prime Minister. The buck stopped at his desk. Mr Boniface claimed that, as early as July 1941 "the War Cabinet in London had already accepted that Malaya was indefensible owing to the fall of Indochina to the Japanese". Having ploughed through the records of the War Cabinet, Foreign Office, War Office and other ministries in the Public Record Office in London, I have not found any evidence that the War Cabinet concluded that Malaya was indefensible. By Ong Chit Chung This letter appeared in The Straits Times forum page on Apr 30, 1997. Fall of Singapore: Should Churchill take the rap? Correlli Barnett, former keeper of the Churchill archives Dr Ong Chit Chung Chan Kwee Sung Dr Brian P. Farrell Chan Kwee Sung (second letter) Dr Ong Chit Chung (second letter) Roger Boniface Roger Boniface (second letter) Fight to death, Churchill told British Army Moses' start page Copyright © 1998 Singapore Press Holdings. All Rights Reserved.