Editing Straits Settlements (section)

===Japanese invasion and dissolution===
During [[World War II]] (specifically the [[Pacific War]]), the [[Empire of Japan|Japanese]] [[Malayan campaign|invaded Malaya and the Straits Settlements]] by landing on [[Kelantan]] on 8 December 1941. On 16 December, Penang became the first Straits Settlement to fall into Japanese hands, followed by Malacca on 15 January 1942. Singapore was the last settlement to fall on 15 February, following the [[Battle of Singapore]]. The Straits Settlements, along with the rest of the [[Malay Peninsula]], [[Japanese occupation of Malaya, North Borneo and Sarawak|remained under Japanese occupation]] until the end of the war in August 1945.

After the war, the colony was dissolved with effect from 1 April 1946, with [[Colony of Singapore|Singapore]] becoming a separate Crown colony (and ultimately an [[Singapore|independent republic]]), while Penang and Malacca joined the new [[Malayan Union]] (a predecessor of modern-day [[Malaysia]]). [[Colony of Labuan|Labuan]] was briefly annexed to Singapore, before being attached to the new colony of [[North Borneo]] (and ultimately detacheded to become a [[Labuan|Federal Territory]]).<ref>{{cite web | url=http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/history/events/cf47ce98-0e14-4c1f-a6f7-cb55c99b4df6 | title=The Straits Settlements is Dissolved |date= 1 April 1946|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20230410205549/https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/history/events/cf47ce98-0e14-4c1f-a6f7-cb55c99b4df6 |archive-date= 10 April 2023 |url-status= dead}}</ref>

[[File:View of Malacca (7886237414).jpg|thumb|300px|left|Malacca, 1860–1900]]
[[File:View of Penang from Tie Sin's Tower (7886247166).jpg|thumb|300px|left|Penang from Tie Sin's Tower, 1860–1900]]
[[Image:Malaysia tree diagram.svg|thumb|left|700px|Evolution of [[Malaysia]]]]
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