One Year of Japanese Conquests- German Propaganda Footage about the War in Asia- 9 December 1942
May 20, 2024
On December 7th, 1941, Japan famously attacked Pearl Harbor, starting its campaign in East and Southeast Asia. Within a few months, Japanese troops captured many American and European strongholds, such as Wake and Guam, Hong Kong, the Philippines, the Dutch East Indies and Singapore.
While these conquests did not directly affect Germany, they were still portrayed in German propaganda, as Germany was allied with Japan.
This video shows footage from German propaganda newsreels from December 1942, one year after the start of the Japanese conquests. It shows a long section with a map, explaining the advances of Japanese troops since December 1941, including the attack on Pearl Harbor, the occupation of Guam and Wake, and the invasion of the Phillipines. It als shows combat footage from the Japanese capture of Singapore, Japanese paratroopers landing on Celebes, and Japanese troops landing on the Aleutian Islands.
Of course, by December 1942, Japan had already suffered a terrible loss in the Battle of Midway and was about to withdraw from Guadalcanal, but these setbacks are not mentioned in this German footage, instead, everything is portrayed as going to plan, and that the American and British were complelty defeated and pushed back in the Pacific area.
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Subtitles made by me.
One year of war in Greater East Asia.
100 years ago, when East Asia was still leading a self-contained and self-sufficient life, the planned encirclement of Japan by England and the USA had already begun.
In order to secure the Far East as a base for resources and sales market, Great Britain established bases on the Chinese coast as early as 1840, using brutal force.
12 years later, the United States also moved to Yokohama, for purely plutocratic reasons, forcibly opening up the Japanese Empire to the American market.
A little later, Great Britain forcefully advanced its trade into the interior of China through the Yangtze valley.
Around 1900, the United States annexed the following islands within two years:
Hawaii, Midway and Samoa, Wake, Guam and the Philippines.
These islands were developed into strong sea fortresses.
They formed the deployment line of the United States against Japan.
This, in combination with the positions previously gained in Alaska, a threatening pincer was placed around Japan.
After dominating Chinese trade, the British and Americans, with the help of Russia, now closed the ring around Japan on Chinese soil, and thus completely encircled it.
The British fortresses of Singapore and Hong Kong were to be the strongest cornerstones of this encirclement front against Japan.
On December 8th, 1941, Japan began to break these shackles.
Its armed forces struck unexpectedly.
The units of the Japanese Navy and Army suddenly attacked the fortresses of England and the United States in the Pacific area.
The following is the course of operations in the first year of the war in Greater East Asia:
The bombing raid on the Midway Islands severely hit one of the most important starting positions for the US attack on Japan.
In the naval battle of Hawaii, the Japanese forces were able to destroy six US battleships and several heavy cruisers.
The US bases at Wake and Guam were quickly occupied and cleared of the enemy within a few days.
Further attacks by the Japanese Navy Air Force were directed against the Philippines, against Hong Kong and against Singapore.
The British battleships Prince of Wales and Repulse were destroyed.
After this surprising strike by sea and air, the Philippines were occupied.
From here, Roosevelt wanted to launch a direct attack on Japan.
On December 25th, just three weeks after the war began, the soldiers of the Tenno captured Hong Kong, England’s gateway to east Asia.
From Hong Kong, England believed it could crush Japan's power in trade and military terms.
With operations proceeding according to plan, the Malay Peninsula with its huge rubber plantations and inexhaustible zinc deposits was taken after fierce jungle battles.
This created the basis for the attack on Singapore.
From Thailand, which had joined Japan's fight against British Burma, the assault on Moulmein was launched, gaining an important base from which to attack Rangoon.
These operations were also directed against the Burma Road, through which China was supplied with weapons by England and North America.
The successful landing on Borneo secured rich oil deposits for our allies.
Further Japanese units were landed on Celebes, which was also in Japanese hands within a few weeks.
Important points on New Guinea and the Solomon Islands were also occupied.
In the naval battle at Java, the main force of the Dutch Indian fleet was destroyed by the sinking of five Dutch cruisers and heavy damage to other units,
and the way towards Java was cleared.
After further sea battles, the landing on Java was carried out.
On February 11, the Japanese troops entered the city of Singapore.
The strongest British fortress in East Asia was taken by storm.
After the conquest of Singapore, now called Shonanto, Japan opened the attack on Sumatra.
In the course of further operations, the soldiers of the Tenno advanced from Rangoon to the Indian border and conquered Burma in fierce battles.
They are now on the doorstep of India, the treasure trove of Great Britain.
In the north of the Pacific, Japanese forces advanced against the Aleutians and occupied two of the strategically most important islands.
From the beginning of August to the end of November, the largest naval battle ever fought in the Pacific raged in the Solomon Islands.
It marked the grand finale of the first year of the war in Greater East Asia.
The Japanese fleet was able to sink four American battleships, four aircraft carriers, 31 cruisers, 21 destroyers and a large number of transports, and destroyed over 850 aircraft.
This finally broke the backbone of the American Pacific fleet.
Today, Japan's Armed Forces dominate the Pacific and Indian Oceans.
Great Britain and the USA have felt Japan's tremendous striking power on land, at sea and in the air.
The following footage of the Japanese freedom fight only reached Europe after a huge detour.
The Battle for Singapore.
In two and a half months, the soldier of the Tenno have fought their way through the fever hell of the Malay jungle.
Now they have reached the strait of Johore.
The British positions are shot up, ready for assault.
This is how the crossing across the strait of Johore took place.
Spearhead units move into their positions, during pouring tropical rain, for the assault on Singapore.
A first bridgehead has been formed.
They are heading for the Tenga airfield.
These are the jungle fighters of Malaya.
They achieved unique deeds of courage and tenacity.
Even the heaviest exertions could not stop their victorious onslaught.
Japanese Air Force units rush down with devastating force at the military installations outside Singapore.
The Tenga airfield.
Mighty columns of smoke rise above halls and workshops.
The airfield garrison is disarmed.
It consisted of British, Australian and Indian soldiers.
And here the fight for the Bukit Timah Hill, the key positions in front of Singapore.
Japanese infantry sets out for the decisive assault.
Tanks have already overcome the hill.
The fate of Singapore is sealed.
The British Lieutenant General Percival announces the handover of the city and fortress.
On February 15th, 1942, the unconditional surrender was signed at the Ford factory in Singapore.
70 days after the outbreak of the war, Japanese troops enter Singapore.
Great Britain's strongest fortress in the Pacific is defeated and firmly in Japanese hands.
The assault on the island of Celebes.
Paratroops of the Imperial Japanese Navy attack the island by surprise in a daring mission.
Down there, the first groups are jumping.
New waves are constantly roaring in.
The paratroopers storm into the city of Mindanao.
On the march into the interior of Celebes.
Japan's paratroopers have achieved their first major success.
The landings on the Aleutian Islands.
The occupied islands are about 4500 kilometers away from Tokyo.
The distance to San Francisco is around 4000 kilometers.
A Japanese convoy in rough seas on the march northwards.
With these operations, Japan hits an important US base for attacks, and at the same time, creates a new starting position for further battles against North America.
The first troops go ashore on assault boats.
The melting snow has softened the ground.
Advance is possible only with great difficulties.
The enemy has withdrawn.
In a harbor bay, warships, transporters and long range flying boats.
American bombers are attacking.
The left engine is burning.
Shot down.
The landing troops have lined up to give ceremonial thanks to the Tenno.
Even shortly before the outbreak of the war, the Americans claimed that they would crush Japan in three months.
Today, one year in, the United States have been completely pushed back.
In the first 12 months of the war, Japan conquered an area of around four million and eight hundred thousand square kilometers.
This area is ten times the size of the old Reich.
The soldiers of the Tenno fight side by side with the soldiers of the other Axis powers for a new, just world order.