| Arthur Percival’s White Flag | |
|---|---|
|
Origin |
Arthur Percival |
|
Type |
White Flag |
|
Effects |
User's forces will surrender or seek a truce, regardless of advantages |
|
Activation |
Waving |
|
Collected by |
Warehouse 13 |
|
Section |
|
|
Aisle |
Khwarazmia-258C |
|
Date of Collection |
June 30, 1992 |
| [Source] | |
Origin[]
Lieutenant-General Arthur Ernest Percival (26 December 1887 – 31 January 1966) was a British Army officer. He saw service in the First World War and built a successful military career during the interwar period, but is best known for his defeat in the Second World War, when Percival commanded British Commonwealth forces during the Malayan campaign, which culminated in a catastrophic defeat at the Battle of Singapore.
Percival's surrender to the invading Imperial Japanese Army, which was the largest of its kind in British military history, significantly undermined Britain's prestige and military position in East Asia Some historians have argued that under-funding of British Malaya's defenses and the inexperienced, under-equipped nature of the Commonwealth forces in Malaya, not Percival's leadership, were ultimately to blame for the defeat.
The Japanese insisted that Percival himself march under a white flag to the Old Ford Motor Factory in Bukit Timah to negotiate the surrender. After a brief disagreement, when Percival insisted that the British keep 1,000 men under arms in Singapore to preserve order, which Yamashita finally conceded, it was agreed at 6:10 pm that all British Commonwealth troops would lay down their arms and cease resistance at 8:30 pm. This was in spite of instructions from Prime Minister Winston Churchill for prolonged resistance
Percival himself was briefly held prisoner in Changi Prison. Along with the other senior British captives above the rank of colonel, Percival was removed from Singapore in August 1942. He was held with several dozen other VIP captives, including the American General Jonathan Wainwright, in a prisoner-of-war camp near Hsian, about 100 miles (160 km) to the north east of Mukden. As the war drew to an end, an OSS team removed the prisoners from Hsian. Percival was then taken, along with Wainwright, to stand immediately behind General Douglas MacArthur as he confirmed the terms of the Japanese surrender aboard USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay on 2 September 1945.
Percival and Wainwright then returned together to the Philippines to witness the surrender of the Japanese army there, which in a twist of fate was commanded by General Yamashita. Yamashita was momentarily surprised to see his former captive at the ceremony; on this occasion Percival refused to shake Yamashita's hand, angered by the mistreatment of POWs in Singapore. The flag carried by Percival's party on the way to Bukit Timah was also a witness to this reversal of fortunes, being flown when the Japanese formally surrendered Singapore back to Lord Louis Mountbatten.
Effects[]
Usage in a conflict (military, economic, personal vendetta) makes the wielder forcibly surrender to the main aggressor or seek parlay. The user will do so regardless of the advantages they may possess, seeing only the need to minimize losses from continuing. Using it a second time by the same party can reverse one's fortunes if a third party intervenes to assist the user and effectively rescue them from their defeat.