th ▁Division ▁and ▁British ▁units ▁during ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Mal aya , ▁but ▁Japan ' s ▁superior ity ▁in ▁air ▁power , ▁t anks ▁and ▁inf antry ▁tact ics ▁drove ▁the ▁Al lied ▁units ▁back . ▁After ▁being ▁driven ▁out ▁of ▁Mal aya ▁by ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁January ▁ 1 9 4 2 , ▁Al lied ▁forces ▁in ▁Singapore , ▁under ▁the ▁command ▁of ▁Lieutenant ▁General ▁Arthur ▁Per c ival , ▁surrender ed ▁to ▁the ▁Japanese ▁on ▁ 1 5 ▁February ▁ 1 9 4 2 ; ▁about ▁ 1 3 0 , 0 0 0 ▁Al lied ▁troops ▁became ▁prisoners ▁of ▁war . ▁The ▁fall ▁of ▁Singapore ▁was ▁the ▁largest ▁surrender ▁in ▁British ▁military ▁history . ▁ ▁The ▁Japanese ▁Indian ▁Ocean ▁ra id ▁The ▁Japanese ▁Indian ▁Ocean ▁ra id ▁was ▁a ▁naval ▁sortie ▁by ▁the ▁Fast ▁Car rier ▁St rike ▁Force ▁of ▁the ▁Imperial ▁Japanese ▁Navy ▁from ▁ 3 1 ▁March ▁to ▁ 1 0 ▁April ▁ 1 9 4 2 ▁against ▁Al lied ▁sh ipping ▁and ▁bases ▁in ▁the ▁Indian ▁Ocean . ▁Following ▁the ▁destruction ▁of ▁the ▁AB D AC OM ▁forces ▁in ▁the ▁batt les ▁around ▁Java ▁in ▁February ▁and ▁March , ▁the ▁Japanese ▁sort ied ▁into ▁the ▁Indian ▁Ocean ▁to ▁destroy ▁British ▁se ap ower ▁there ▁and ▁support ▁the ▁invasion ▁of ▁Bur ma . ▁The ▁ra id ▁was ▁only ▁partially ▁successful . ▁It ▁did ▁not ▁succeed ▁in ▁destroy ing ▁Al lied ▁naval ▁power ▁in ▁the ▁Indian ▁Ocean ▁but ▁it ▁did ▁force ▁the ▁British ▁fleet ▁to ▁re loc ate ▁from