The video discusses Singapore's transformation into a major military power, despite its small size. The country's military philosophy is compared to that of ancient Sparta, with a focus on resistance, determination, and popular mobilization. Singapore has a highly trained and well-equipped armed forces, with a mandatory two-year military service for men, which represents 8% of the population. The country also has a volunteer army and a significant military budget, with a focus on advanced technology and equipment.
The video explains that Singapore's military strategy has evolved over the years, from its initial "poisoned shrimp" strategy, which aimed to make the country uninviting to invaders, to its current "dolphin doctrine," which focuses on building a strong and agile air force capable of anticipating threats. The country has also developed its own local military equipment industry and has become one of the 30 largest arms exporters in the world.
Singapore has also formed military synergies with its allies, particularly through military training, and has sealed important defense agreements with the United States. The video concludes that Singapore's unique combination of military strength and neutrality makes it an important player in the region, and its model has even been studied by China's leader, Deng Xiaoping.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. In the 5th century BC, 300 Spartan soldiers withstood the attack of 200,000 Persian soldiers for days during the invasion of Thermopylae.
2. Singapore is a small country with a population of less than 6 million and an area of barely 730 square kilometers.
3. Despite its small size, Singapore is a military power with one of the best-endowed armed forces in the world.
4. The Singapore Armed Forces have over 70,000 full-time professional troops, around 400,000 part-time troops, and more than 1.2 million reservists with military training.
5. Singapore has mandatory military service for all men, which lasts for two years.
6. The regular armed forces represent 8% of the entire population of the country, and the military-trained population represents almost a quarter of all the inhabitants.
7. Singapore has a volunteer army, known as the Singapore Armed Forces Volunteer Corps, which is open to women and has a membership age limit of 45 years.
8. The country's military strategy is based on three major approaches: arming itself to the teeth, preparing for combat, and making strong friends.
9. Singapore's first military strategy, known as the "poisoned shrimp" strategy, was to become a place that no one wanted to invade due to the high cost of doing so.
10. The strategy was developed by Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore's first Prime Minister, who sought to make Singapore a "poisoned shrimp" that would inflict as much damage as possible on an enemy even if it was invaded.
11. To achieve this, Singapore collaborated with Israel, which provided military training and equipment to the country.
12. The collaboration between Singapore and Israel was kept secret due to the hostile relations between Israel and Singapore's Muslim-majority neighbors, Malaysia and Indonesia.
13. Singapore's second military strategy, known as the "porcupine strategy," was to build a strong and agile military that could defend the country against external threats.
14. The strategy was developed in the 1980s and involved the development of a local military equipment industry and the acquisition of advanced weapons systems.
15. Singapore's third military strategy, known as the "dolphin doctrine," is to build an impressive air force that can anticipate and respond to any threat.
16. The strategy involves the acquisition of advanced fighter jets, such as the F-35B, and the development of a strong and agile air force.
17. Singapore has been promoting military synergies with its allies for many years, especially through military training and exercises.
18. Singapore soldiers train in countries such as the United States, Australia, Thailand, Taiwan, and South Africa, and frequently participate in large-scale defensive military exercises.
19. Singapore has sealed important defense agreements with the United States, including access to Singaporean military bases for American soldiers.
20. 69% of Chinese people have a good image of Singapore, which is seen as a model for China's economic reforms.