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Books:
Sunday 17 February 2013
After Japanese Occupation (after 12 September 1945)
Did life return to normal after the
end of the Japanese Occupation? No.
The British set up a provisional
government called the British Military Administration (BMA) which look charge
of governing Singapore until 1 April 1946. It faced the difficult task of
rebuilding the country and maintaining law and order. We faced many problems in
post-war Singapore such as overcrowded living conditions, poor situations, lack
of health services and unemployment. However, the more serious problems were
the shortage of food and lack of housing.
There are also shortage of water and
electricity and disruption of telephone services. Streets were filthy, unlit
and unsafe particularly at restore electricity, gas and other essential
services, and repair the water mains.
To solve the food shortage, the British had to
clear the harbour first so that ships transporting foods stuffs could enter the
port. They removed the shipwrecks and mines that had been laid in the sea by
the Japanese. The docks were repaired and new warehouse were constructed to
store commodities that were brought into port.
Next, the British decided to ration the amount
of food given to each person. People’s Restaurants were opened to sell food to
reasonable prices. Food supplies slowly increased when trade links between
Singapore and other countries were re-established.
The war has destroyed many houses, leaving
thousands homeless Rents were very high as a result of the shortage of houses.
People who could not afford the high rents had to live in small, overcrowded
cubicles and squatters. A law on rent control was introduced to stop landlords
from raising the house rents and forcing tenants out. The government also
constructed some flats to help alleviate the problem of housing shortage.
However, these proved unsuccessful solving the problem.
Citation:
Books:
1. Curriculum Planning & Development
Division MOE, Singapore. (2012). Singapore From Settlement To Nation Pre-1819 To
1971 (2nd Edition). Singapore. Marshall Cavendish
Education.
Citation:
Books:
Surrender of Japanese (12 September 1945)
12 September 1945 is a happy moment
for all the people in Singapore.
The Japanese surrendered shortly
after the atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki on 6 and 9 August
1945 respectively.
The British troops returned to
Singapore on 5 September 1945.
On 12 December 1945, huge crowds
gathered at the Pahang and cheered for the return of the British. In the
Municipal Building (now City Hall), Japanese military leaders signed the surrender
document which was accepted by the Supreme Allied Commander for Southeast Asia,
Lord Louis Mountbatten.
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| General Seishiro Itagaki singing the ducuments for the surrender of the Japanese forces in Singapore in the Supreme Court |
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| Lord Louis Mountbatten reading the Order of the Day about the Japanese surrender from the steps of the Municipal Building on 12 September 1945. |
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The Japanese delegation leaves the Municipal Building after the surrender ceremony on 12 September 1945 |
Life in Singapore during Japanese Occupation (15 February 1942 to 12 September 1945)
Japanese have done a lot to influence the minds of the people in
Singapore so that the people would be loyal to Japan.
To remove Western influence the
Japanese promoted the Japanese spirit (Nippon Seishin). Every school,
government building and Japanese company began with a morning assembly. Those
present at such gatherings had to stand facing the direction of Japan and sing
the Japanese national anthem (Kimigayo). Taisho or mass drills were made
compulsory for students, teachers, staff of companies and government servants.
Teachers had to learn Japanese several times a week. The students received
their daily Japanese lessons on the schools’ broadcasting service.
The Japanese also used other ways to influence the minds of us. Radio stations were controlled by the Japanese and we could only listen to local broadcasts. Those caught tuning in to foreign broadcasting stations were severely punished or killed. In the cinemas, only Japanese movies and propaganda films were shown.
We faced severe food shortages
during the Japanese Occupation. This was because Singapore’s entrepot trade was
disrupted and all available resources were used to support Japan’s war efforts
in other parts of Asia.
Rationing was introduced to
control the sales of essential items like rice, salt and sugar. Each household
was issued with a ‘Peace Living Certificate’ which entitled them to a number of
ration cards to purchase essential goods. Once a month, we would line up at the
kumiai shop (distribution association) for hours to purchase whatever rations
that were available.
Many lived in poverty and suffered
from malnutrition and diseases. Essential foodstuffs like rice, salt and sugar
were sold at high prices in the black market. The situation was made worse by
the unlimited supplies of Japanese ‘banana notes’. Whenever the authorities
needed more money, they simply printed more notes. The ‘banana notes’ were also
printed on inferior quality paper with no serial numbers and could be forget
easily. As there were a lot of ‘banana notes’ , the value of the notes dropped,
leading to soaring prices. Hence, life become harder.
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| A Japanese language lesson in the newspaper Syonan Sinbun |
The Japanese also used other ways to influence the minds of us. Radio stations were controlled by the Japanese and we could only listen to local broadcasts. Those caught tuning in to foreign broadcasting stations were severely punished or killed. In the cinemas, only Japanese movies and propaganda films were shown.
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| A ration card |
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| 'Banana notes'
Citation
2. http://library.thinkquest.org/C002071/dailylife.html |
Operation Clean Up / Sook Ching Operation (18 February 1942 to 4 March 1942)
Every week weekend, my father has to
report to Japanese YMCA building. He told me this is part of the Sook Ching
Operation. This operation carried out by Japanese is targeted on Chinese
community like us.
The lucky ones who were not identified were given a small piece of paper, with the Chinese word ’Examined’ rubber-stamped on them. Like my father, he got the “examined” stamped and allowed to go home.
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| the old YMCA building at Stamford Road(1955).A new building was later built at the some premises and was opened in 1984. |
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| The Sook Ching Centre site memorial stands at Hong Lim Complex in Chinatown. |
Citation
Books:
1. Curriculum Planning & Development
Division MOE, Singapore. (2012). Singapore From Settlement To Nation Pre-1819 To
1971 (2nd Edition). Singapore. Marshall Cavendish Education.
1.
2. http://war-heroine.blogspot.sg/
Singapore during Japanese Occupation (15 February 1942 to 12 September 1945)
The fall of Singapore marked the
beginning of a brief but tumultuous chapter of Singapore’s history. Singapore
was renamed ‘Syonan-to’ which meant ‘the Light of the South’ or ‘the Radiant South’.
Following the British surrender, the
Japanese military police, Kempetai, were sent to restore order in Singapore.
When the Japanese military took
control of the island, they had plans to deal with the Allied troops and the
people of Singapore. The Japanese interned the British, Australians and Allied
Europeans in Singapore, including women and children. Allied soldiers were
forced to march from the Padang to Selarang Barracks, which was 22 kilometers
away. European civilians were marched to Katong first before going to Changi
Prison.
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Changi Prison (1942) |
At the slightest offence, punishment was swift
and severe. Many anti-Japanese suspects were subjected to terrible torture or
decapitation at the Kempetai centre.
The Eurasians were treated harshly because the
Japanese felt they were a threat to them. Some Eurasians were members of the
Singapore Volunteer Corps and had fought against the Japanese. Many were put in
prison camps. Those suspected of helping the British were put to death.
The Japanese did not regard the Malays and
Indians as a threat to their rule. They tried to win the support of the Malays
and convince them that Japan would free them from British rule. They also persuaded
the Indians that Japan would help free
India from the British. However, these two races were disobeyed or displeased the
Japanese would still be punished. Some Malays were also drafted for forced
labour at the ‘Death Railway’ camps.
Many Chinese became victims of Japanese
atrocities. The Japanese perceived the Chinese as a threat to their rule. This
was because when Japan invaded China in 1937, they met with strong Chinese
resistance, including those from outside of China. Before the outbreak of war,
the Chinese community in Singapore led by tycoon Tan Kah Kee, called for a
boycott of Japanese goods and contributed funds to that anti-Japanese war
effort in China. Some even returned to China to join in the fight against the
Japanese.
Books:
Surrender of British (15 Feb 1942)
Today
is Chinese New Year. It was supposed to be a celebration day for all the
Chinese but no one has the mood. This is because British have surrender to
Japanese in the evening!
After
the fall of Pasir Panjang, General Percival cabled his superior, informing him
that Singapore could not resist the Japanese for more than a day. He requested
that he be given the discretion to surrender if necessary. The Malay Regiment
made its last stand at Bukit Cahandu.
British
had a final conference at the Fort Canning bunker. Lieutenant-General Percival
wanted to discuss ways to counter-attack but his commanders were against the
idea. They felt that there were too many problems and the soldiers were tired.
More men would be killed if they were to engage the Japanese in street fighting.
Their supplies of food and water were running out. To prevent further
bloodshed, the British opted for surrender. Japanese Lieutent-Colonel Sugita
led Percival and his delegation to the Ford Motor Factory to negotiate the
surrender terms. At the negotiating table, Percival met Lieutenant-General
Tomoyuki Yamashita for the first time.
The British gave in and surrendered to the Japanese.
The British gave in and surrendered to the Japanese.
Here is an
extract of what took place during the negotiation process:
Yamashita: I want to hear whether or not you
want to surrender. If you want to surrender,
I insist on it being unconditional. What is your answer? Yes or no?
Percival : Will you give me until tomorrow morning?
Yamashita: Tomorrow? I cannot wait and the
Japanese forces will have to attack tonight.
Percival : How about waiting until 11.30pm. Tokyo time?
Yamashita: If that is to be the case, the
Japanese forces will have to resume attacks until then. Will you say yes or not?
Percival: (made a reply)
Yamashita: I want o hear a decision answer and I
insist on an unconditional surrender. What
do you say?
Percival : Yes.
Yamashita: All right, then. The order to cease
fire must be issued exactly at 10p.m. I will immediately send 1,000 troops
into city area to maintain peace and order. Do you agree to that?
Percival : Yes.
Yamashita: If you violate these terms, the
Japanese will lose no time in launching a general and final offensive against
Singapore City.
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Percival and his British field commanders making their way to Ford Motor Factory  
The surrender negotiations
|
Citation
Books:
1. Curriculum Planning & Development
Division MOE, Singapore. (2012). Singapore From Settlement To Nation Pre-1819 To
1971 (2nd Edition). Singapore. Marshall Cavendish Education.
Saturday 16 February 2013
The Battle for Singapore (1 February 1942 to 13 February 1942)
My
family and I were hiding ourselves in the town centre because Japanese
successfully landed on Singapore on 8 February 1942.
Do
you all wonder how Japanese successfully invaded Singapore??
Below
is the chain of event I heard from a reporter, a friend of my father:
·
The Johor Sultan’s palace. General Yamashita set up
headquarters at the Johor Sultan’s palace, thus getting a bird’s eye view of
northern Singapore. He knew that the Britain would not attack the palace.
Although the tower was an easy target for the British. Yamashita was confident
that the British would not fire at the home of their old friend, Sultan Ibrahim
and he was right.
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| Yamashita in 1941, his nickname is ‘Tiger of Malaya’ |
·
The Japanese Trick. The Japanese bombed
Changi and Pulau Ubin. As a result, the British moved their defences from the
northwest to the northeast of Singapore.
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|
The Japanese landings on Singapore Island |
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| Japanese soldiers in Bukit Timah |
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|
Japanese troops assaulting Bukit Timah hill, under
Allied fire |
·
Fall of Pasir Panjang. On 13 February 1942,
fierce fighting broke out at Pasir Panjang and both sides suffered heavy
casualties. Most of Percival’s commanders reported to him that their troops
were demoralized and exhausted.
Citation:
Books:
1. Curriculum Planning & Development
Division MOE, Singapore. (2012). Singapore From Settlement To Nation Pre-1819 To
1971 (2nd Edition). Singapore. Marshall Cavendish Education.
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