In lost battles, why would a division of 90,000 soldiers surrender just because they were losing? ?

Question

Why not fight til the last man?

Answer 1

Very rarely do any soldiers surrender JUST because they are losing. Most will fight to the death, or most certainly when there is no hope of survival.

Singapore

Stalingrad

The Confederacy

Just a few examples.

Answer 2

usually peope will surrender when they see no point in further combat- for example nothing they can do will significantly damage the enemy.

Of course some cultures act differently- eg the Japanese would make a suicide attack even in hopeless circumstances- which is why it took a nuke to persuade them that it was completely pointless to try and continue fighting

Answer 3

People, generally, don't like to die.

Answer 4

war is stupid!  it kills, maims & hurts many people.  then everybody kisses + makes up & the poor victims are forgotten.

Answer 5

If there is a cause that is worth fighting for, the proper leadership is available and the men present truly believe in this cause they will fight till the last man. It has happened in the past and may happen again.

There are several reasons for a division that large to surrender. Lack of supplies, poor leadership, low morale, a cause the men don't want to fight for or the division's commander was ordered to surrender by his superior

Answer 6

Sorry to burst your bubble, there's been no division in history with 90,000 soldiers.  Divisions have ranged from 5,000 to 20,000 at the most.... the largest army in the world, the PLA averages around 16,000 per division...so there; you go.

Answer 7

here's 80,000;

The Battle of Singapore was fought in the South-East Asian theatre of World War II when the Empire of Japan invaded the Allied stronghold of Singapore. The fighting in Singapore lasted from February 7, 1942 to February 15, 1942.

It resulted in the fall of Singapore—the major British military base in South East Asia—to the Japanese, and the largest surrender of British-led military personnel in history. About 80,000 Indian, Australian and British troops became prisoners of war, joining 50,000 taken by the Japanese in the Malayan campaign. Britain's Prime Minister Winston Churchill called the ignominious fall of Singapore to the Japanese the "worst disaster" and "largest capitulation" in British history.

Answer 8

Let's see, you are losing the battle and your choices are to fight and

die for a LOSING CAUSE or to surrender eventually go home and live.

Who knows, 1 day you may come back and beat the side that beat

you the 1st time but when you die there is no going home nor is there

a next time, for you. if you did your duty to the best of your ability

there is no shame in surrendering. The other side was just better

prepared or lead. Living beats dying for no reason.

                      Hope that helps. Packers.