The Sacrifice of Rearguard Action

In war, when troops face a scarcity of resources and are unable to be resupplied due to control of air and sea lanes by the enemy, they resort to rear guard actions in places like Malaya. Rearguard actions involve a small group sacrificing themselves to hold back a much larger enemy force, allowing the main group to fight another day. This tactic is born out of necessity when the enemy is too powerful for the main group to handle, forcing them to leave and the smaller group to sacrifice themselves to buy time and ensure the survival of their comrades.