Other problems caused it! The Depression was not the main reason why Japan attacked Manchuria in 1931. Japan had other problems that were just as pressing, such as the problem of overpopulation. Overpopulation meant that they needed more land, such that the invasion might not be just for the Depression. Besides, they would have to attack Manchuria sooner or later, such that the Depression was just another factor which pressed them to attack at an earlier time.

Recently in Singapore, there were cases of extra-marital affairs by politicians being made in public. With the increase of such events, we will start to question if these public figures should be led accountable for their private lives. Public figures, especially politicians, have influence over decisions that will affect the country, and control over public funds. While their job is to represent the public, they have their private lives, where decisions made are about themselves. Although this might only seem fair for the public figures, they might start to engage in vices which corrode their moral values. This in turn will impair their judgement, such that they make the wrong decisions and start to use their power over public resources for their own benefit. Again, due to the lack of accountability in their private lives, they will start to tie the line as to how much they can do before getting into trouble. Therefore, public figures should be held accountable for their actions, even those undertaken in public.

In my opinion, for Stalin's dictatorship to be successful, it has to make a positive lasting impact on the people in the country he was leading.

In this case, an extremely large number of people died during his rule, for his cause. This would have scarred the people in Russia into fear and submission, which is a negative impact.

Therefore, although Stalin might have been successful in his political endeavour when he was alive, and saved the Russian economy by industrialisation, he failed on the social front, in the sense that while creating an environment of forced political peace and reduction in famines by introducing technology to farming, the people were only cared for on a basic level such that they are only surviving, and not living.

The commitment level became a very important determinant for the outcome of the war. The British forces were not wholly focused on defending Malaya. The British commitment in defending Malaya could be questioned. During the time, Britain was not just fighting a war in the Far East. It was also fighting a war at home. By 1938, Europe was engulfed by World War Two. Germany, under Adolf Hitler, had begun its assault on Britain. Britain was therefore fighting for its own survival and resources were allocated to its own defense above other British colonies. Logically, the best soldiers and generals were kept to defend Britain. For this reason, Britain could not defend Malaya and Singapore with much conviction, all these created a weak defense and uncommitted disposition which compromised their caution. As such, the forces miscalculated, thus allowing the Japanese to invade with ease. With the right attitude and commitment, the British forces could have overcome the Japanese technological supremacy. After all, the British did have the numerical advantage.

From there, I conclude that General Percival should not be made responsible for the fall of Singapore, because the resources available to him were 'sub-standard' to a certain extent.