9 4 0 ▁and ▁rose ▁to ▁a ▁new ▁level ▁following ▁the ▁ra id ▁on ▁Pear l ▁Har bor , ▁and ▁simultane ous ▁attacks ▁on ▁Hong ▁Kong , ▁the ▁Philippines , ▁Th ailand , ▁Singapore ▁and ▁Mal aya ▁on ▁ 7 ▁and ▁ 8 ▁December ▁ 1 9 4 1 . ▁The ▁main ▁landing ▁at ▁Sing ora ▁( now ▁Song kh la ) ▁on ▁the ▁east ▁side ▁of ▁the ▁Ist hm us ▁of ▁Kra ▁preced ed ▁the ▁bomb ing ▁of ▁Pear l ▁Har bor ▁by ▁several ▁hours . ▁Action ▁in ▁the ▁theatre ▁officially ▁ended ▁on ▁ 9 ▁September ▁ 1 9 4 5 . ▁ ▁Initial ▁Japanese ▁success es ▁The ▁Al lies ▁suffered ▁many ▁defe ats ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁half ▁of ▁the ▁war . ▁Two ▁major ▁British ▁war ships , ▁ ▁and ▁ ▁were ▁s unk ▁by ▁a ▁Japanese ▁air ▁attack ▁off ▁Mal aya ▁on ▁ 1 0 ▁December ▁ 1 9 4 1 . ▁Following ▁the ▁invasion , ▁the ▁government ▁of ▁Th ailand ▁formally ▁al lied ▁itself ▁with ▁Japan ▁on ▁ 2 1 ▁December . ▁Japan ▁inv aded ▁Hong ▁Kong ▁in ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Hong ▁Kong ▁on ▁ 8 ▁December , ▁cul min ating ▁in ▁surrender ▁on ▁ 2 5 ▁December . ▁January ▁saw ▁the ▁invas ions ▁of ▁Bur ma ▁and ▁the ▁Dutch ▁East ▁Ind ies ▁and ▁the ▁capture ▁of ▁Man ila ▁and ▁K ual a ▁L ump ur . ▁ ▁Mal aya ▁and ▁Singapore ▁Japanese ▁forces ▁met ▁st iff ▁resistance ▁from ▁III ▁Corps ▁of ▁the ▁Indian ▁Army , ▁the ▁Australian ▁ 8