- Myths of ‘British superiority’ were crushed.
- In 1942, Japan seized major European imperial possessions, including Singapore. Main British military and naval base in region. Subhas Chandra Bose called this ‘the end of the British Empire’.
- Japanese also seized Hong Kong, overran Malaya and Burma and by summer of 1942 were poised to attack India itself. Japenese invasion narrowly averted in 1944.
- India and Burma pushed for independence and were eventually lost after.
- INA led by Subhas Chandra Bose fought with Japanese after defeat of Singapore in 1942, giving 30,000 troops.
- Burma fought with Aung San under guidance of Japanese for independence, leaving Commonwealth after receiving it.
- Britain’s economy and status as a superpower was crushed.
- Australia and New Zealand began looking to America for support.
- Independence and nationalist movements grew more because of this.
Battle of El Alamein in 1942 almost swept Britain of influence in Middle East from German and Italian threat.