The fall of Singapore impacted Australia’s security drastically. Australia had always regarded the British Naval Base in Singapore as vital to their security. Since Singapore was supposable unable to fall, and was well defended for any attack from the sea it was perfectly ideal for Australia and their security. On 15 February 1942 after the Japanese had brutally attacked Singapore, the British commander of Singapore General Percival surrendered. 130,000 allied soldiers, including 15,000 Australia’s surrendering to the Japanese .In this essay I will be discussing Australia’s contribution to World War 2 from 1939 to the fall of Singapore, Australia and Britain’s relationship in Singapore and the reaction of the fall and threats from Japan.…show more content… Australia had always looked up to Britain for knowledge and advice. The isolation of Australia did not necessarily make it secure. Exports, particularly of primary commodities, were essential to Australia. After 1939 the relations with Japan worsened, the Australian Government began to encourage the British Government to send a fleet of Royal Navy ships to Singapore for the Safety or Australia. The British refused. They needed their fleet to guard Britain and the Mediterranean. Australia send the 8th division to the defense of Malaya and Singapore. The equipping and training of the troops was expected to take place in Malaya. There was a breakdown among the remaining British forces in Malaya that meant they had to retreat back to Singapore. On the 15th 1942, Singapore and the British defenders including Australians surrendered to the Japanese. After the surrender of the British troops in Malaya, the situation for Australia was starting to look a lot worse. There only stood the badly defended Netherlands, East Indies and New Guinea between the strong Japanese and Australia. Australian 6th and 7th division started there way home to Australia from the Middle East. However Churchill was concerned about Burma and he asked John Curtin Prime Minister of Australia to allow the 7th division to be diverted to the defense of Burma. Curtin refused, he believed Australia needed all the defense it could get and didn’t want to help out the British. Churchill repeated his request and he ordered the convoy to change anyway. Curtin was shocked at the news and insisted the convoy to be returned to Australia. Churchill backed down. The Australian Government was not willing to help out the British; they felt very unprotected after the fall of Singapore. After the fall of Singapore Australians were shocked and realized Britain was not a strong as Australian