By the time the Japanese attacked Burma in 1942 their aircraft dominated the skies of South East Asia. They had already captured Hong Kong, overrun Malaya and finally forced the surrender of Singapore, one of the greatest defeats ever inflicted upon the British Army. But Burma proved to be the turning point in the war in the Far East. After their rout in 1942, the British began a long, slow fight-back, under General `Uncle Bill` Slim's leadership, British and Commonwealth forces gradually began to break the myth of Japanese invincibility.