British movie 1938, Singapore’s importance: ALERT IN THE EAST

(By Kind Permission of the Imperial War Museum Film Archive for this project.) A British film on ’Fortress Singapore’ and its importance to the British Empire from Africa to India and Australia, made in 1938, and showing the opening of Singapore’s new dock facilities. An interesting insight into the (only just) pre-war bravado of the UK’s over-confident view that they were ready for ’whatever destiny may have in store’. Is this film complacent? Or is it a propaganda film knowing that everything must be done to support the idea that Singapore was indeed an impregnable fortress? Many knew otherwise: For example the RAF knew the planes that “guard the air“ were obsolete, as a simple comparison with the latest fighters would quickly show. Also the Malayan peninsula is portrayed as ’securing the land approaches’ - why then did Lientenant-General Arthur Percival, General Officer Commanding Malaya (GOC), suggest the launching of ’Operation Matador’ barely t