Conclusion of World War 2 affect Singapore

What were the efforts made by the British to defend Singapore?

•  "main fleet to Singapore" strategy
• Installation of 15 inch guns facing the sea
• Building of military airfields and underground bunkers
• Building of Naval Base in Sembawang

Why did the British fail to stop  the Japanese?

• Good Japanese Preparation
• Japanese superiority in battle strategy, armed forces and leaderships
• British priority to war in Europe

How did the people of Singapore react to the Japanese attack?

• Did not believe that Singapore would fall

How did the Japanese Occupation change the lives of people in Singapore?

• Singapore renamed from 'syonan-to'
• British and other Europeans taken as prisoners-of-war
• Most lived in fear of kempeitai and its harsh punishments
• Operation Sook Ching attempted to wipe out the Chinese opposition to Japanese
•  Serious shortage of food and poor health conditions

Did life return to normal after the end of the Japanese Occupation?

• The British Military Administration established for post-war reconstruction
• Shortage of food ,water and electricity
• overcrowding and unhygienic housing conditions

Adapted from:

Singapore, From settlement to Nation, pre 1819 to 1971, Marshall Cavendish Education

https://www.google.com.sg/search?hl=en&q=ww2+singapore&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_cp.r_qf.&bvm=bv.42553238,d.bmk&biw=1366&bih=624&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=FlYgUcq3Esz-rAemmoCwDw

End of Japanese Occupation in Singapore, 15 August 1945

The dropping of atomic bombs caused Japan to surrender to the Allied Forces. On 15  August 1945, the Japanese Emperor announced the end of the war to the people of Japan. Two days later, the people of Singapore heard over the radio that Japan had surrender. 

on 28 August 1945, Allied Warplanes dropped leaflets from the air informing the Prisoners-Of-War (POWs) in Singapore that the war had finally ended. The POWs were happy to receive the news of the end of war. 

Watch this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncq_Wye43TM

Adapted from:

 Interacting with our world, Singapore under foreign rule, Marshall Cavendish Eduation

https://www.google.com.sg/search?hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1366&bih=624&q=japan+surrender+singapore&oq=japan+surre&gs_l=img.1.2.0l2j0i24l8.2955.12230.0.15816.39.25.9.4.6.1.231.3132.7j13j4.24.0...0.0...1ac.1.3.img.6D-YKip5Whw

Japanese Treatment part 3

Singapore faced severe food shortages during the Japanese Occupation. Singapore's entrepot trade was distrupted 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 essentials items like rice, salt and sugar. Each household was issued with a 'PEACE LIVING CERTIFICATE'  which entitled them to purchase essential goods. Once a month, people would line up at the kuimai shop (distribution association) for hours to purchase whatever rations that are available.

Adapted from: 

Singapore, Settlement to Nation , pre 1819 to 1971, Marshall Cavendish education.

Japan Treatment part 2

To remove influence, the Japanese promoted the Japanese spirit (Nippon Seishin). Those present at the morning assembly had to stand facing the direction of Japan and sing the Japanese national anthem. Taisho and mass drills were made compulsory for students, teacher, staff of companies and government servants. Teachers had to learn Japanese language 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 the people in Singapore. Radio stations were controlled by the Japanese and people could only listen to local broadcasts. Those caught tuning in foreign broadcasting stations were severely punished or killed. In the cinemas, only Japanese movies and propaganda films were shown,

Japanese treatment Part I

The extract below from Lee Kuan Yew's memoirs tells us how a Japanese soldiers treated a local during the first month of the occupation:
"One afternoon, while siting on the veranda at 28 Norfolk Road, I watched a Japanese soldier pay off a rickshaw puller. The rickshaw puller pleaded for a little more money. The soldier took out the man's arm, put it over his shoulders , and flung him  into the air with a judo throw. The rickshaw puller fell flat on his face. After a while, he picked himself up and staggered off between the shafts off his rickshaw. I was shocked at the heartlessness."
  Adapted from The Singapore Story : Memoirs of Lee Kuan Yew  by lee Kuan Yew.

Another aspect of life during the Japanese occupation was the propaganda campaigns carried out by the Japanese. This was done to influenced the people minds in Singapore so that they would be loyal to the Japanese. 

Singapore, 6 February 1942

On 6 February 1942, the Japanese commander, Lieutenant-General, Tomoyuki Yamashita, set up his headquaters at the Sultan of Johor's palace. From the palace, Yamashita could get a clear view of nothern Singapore. To defeat the British, the Japanese attacked and captured important areas in Singapore.
7 FEBRUARY 1942
To mislead the British the Japanese attacked Pulau Ubin. The British thought that the Japanese would attack Singapore from  the northeast. The British move their defences at northeast.
8 FEBRUARY 1942
However, Japanese soldiers then northwest coast of Singapore. They used rubber boats and rafts to cross the narrowest point of the Johor Straits to reach Singapore.
9 FEBRUARY 1942
The Japanese repaired the Causeway that was blown by the British soldiers on 31 January 1942 and crossed into Singapore.
11 FEBRUARY 1942
The Japanese reached Bukit Timah area where the real fighting took place. The British kept their food and weapons there.Some Chinese volunteers helped the British to defend the area. In the end, British lost the battle and both sides suffered heavy losses.
12 FEBRUARY 1942
Fort Siloso at Sentosa was attacked by the Japanese. The British there succeeded in sinking one of the Japanese ships.
13 FEBRUARY 1942
 A fierce battle was fought at Pasir Panjang. Together with the British soldiers, the Malay soldiers were led by, Lieutenant Adnan bin Said, fought bravely against the Japanese. These soldiers were out numbered by the Japanese soldiers.
14 FEBRUARY 1942
The Japanese soldiers march into the British Military Hospital, now the Alexandra Hospitals, and killed the doctors , hospitals , staff and patients.

The Japanese manage to captured Singapore in 7 days.


ADAPTED FROM :
Interacting with our world, Singapore under foreign rule, Marshall Cavendish Education.

Malaya, 8 December 1941

It was 8 December 1941 in Malaya and Singapore when Japan attacked Pearl Harbour. It was slightly after four o'clock in   the morning that day when the first bombs were dropped at Singapore. The people in Singapore were awakened by the sounds of explosions. Bombs fell on Raffles Place and the airfields in Tengah and Seletar. After the air raids on Malaya and Singapore on 8 December 1941, the Japanese left Singapore alone. they began their invasion of Malaya.
8 December 1941
Many Japanese soldiers landed on the east coast of southern Thailand. The Japanese soldiers also landed at the Kota Bahru in the Nothern Malaya. By evening that same day, the Kota Bahru airfield was in the hands of the Japanese.
10 December 1941
Two British warships were bombed and sunk by the Japanese warplanes off the east coast of Kuantan. These ships, the Prince of Wales and the Repulse were sent by the British from the Singapore Naval Base to fight the Japanese. After these ships sunk, the British no longer had warships to stop the Japanese soldiers from landing along the coast of Malaya.
11-12 December 1911
At Jitrah in Kedah, the Japanese used tanks  to move quickly through the jungle. The British did not have any tanks there. The Japanese soldiers are also well trained in the jungles. Many British soldiers were kill and the rest were forced to retreat.
17 December 1941
In Penang, bombs fell in the crowded streets. Half the city was on fire and hundreds of people were  killed or injured. The Japanese took some boats from Penang and use them to land on the west coast of Malaya.
11 January 1942
The British abandon Kuala Lumpur to defend Johor.  Japanese soldiers captured Kuala Lumpur easily.
31 January 1942
Johor Bahru was captured by the Japanese. Within 55 days, Malaya was captured by the Japanese. The British soldiers then moved back to Singapore. They blew up the Causeway that linked Malaya and Singapore. They hoped to slow down the Japanese entering the Singapore.


Adapted from:
Interacting with our world, Singapore under foreign rule, Marshall Cavendish Education.