sec 2 history chapter 6
DESCRIPTION
TRANSCRIPT
• British’s defense system in Singapore
• Reasons for the fall of Singapore
• Life under Japanese– Political– Economic– Social
• Post-war Singapore– Problems and solutions
War in Europe• Started when Germany invaded Poland. • France declared war on Germany. Britain also
joined in the war. • The alliance system in Europe pulled the rest
of Europe into the war. • Main Axis powers: Germany, Italy, Japan• Main Allies powers: Britain, France, USSR,
USA
War in Asia
• Japan was already in a war with China (started in 1937)
• When Japan bombed Pearl Harbour (1941), USA and Britain declared war on Japan
• ‘Main fleet to Singapore strategy’
• 15-inch guns mounted on ships and faced the sea to prevent any attacks from the sea
• Building of military airfields and underground bunkers
• Naval base built in Sembawang
The geography of Malaya is a factor in its
defence. The coastal plains are about fifteen
miles in width and filled with mangrove swamps.
The mountain range which runs from north to south
is covered with dense jungle and vast areas which
are almost unknown. Roads are few and heavily
guarded, so that an invading army would be at the
Mercy of defenders securely hidden in the jungle.Quoted in The Japanese Occupation of Malaya
1941-1945 by Paul H Kratoska (textbook pg 99)
Singapore: An impregnable fortress
• 4-6 people in a group• Use the sources given to find out about the reasons
for the fall of Singapore. • Fill in the worksheet using information you have found
from the sources. • State the source used each piece of information that
you have. (Hint: one source can be used many times for many categories)
• 20mins to complete • Some groups will be asked to share their answers
The desired Malayan (British) air force, strength of 300 to 500 aircraft, was never reached. While the Japanese invaded with over two hundred tanks, the British Army in Malaya did not have a single one.
The desired Malayan (British) air force, strength of 300 to 500 aircraft, was never reached. While the Japanese invaded with over two hundred tanks, the British Army in Malaya did not have a single one.
Factors Japanese British
Priority - to conquer countries in SEA for raw materials
- clear objectives of conquering Singapore
- war in Europe was more important
Equipment - had tanks and modern weapons
- appropriate transport (bikes)
- did not have tanks
Leadership - effective and skilful - effective strategies- well prepared (had spies)
- not decisive or forceful- officers could not agree
with one another Troops - well-trained in jungle
warfare- committed and loyal
- not well-trained in jungle warfare
- disorganized and complacent
Japanese…
Weapons were modern
Intensive preparations – jungle warfare
Nice (good) strategies used
Spies sent to Malaya and Singapore
British
Lack of modern weapons
Opinions of generals were different
Strategies used was not effective
Europe was their main focus, not Asia
Soldiers not experienced in jungle warfare
• Most people did not believe that Singapore would be defeated by the Japanese
What changes will you make, as a military leader, when you take over an enemy’s land?
• Political impact
• Economic impact
• Social impact
• Singapore now belonged to the Japanese• Singapore was renamed ‘Syonan-to’, which means the light of the South
• kempeitai = Japanese military soldiers
• Used fear to rule Singapore
Who were the threats?
Why did the Japanese perceive them as threats?
Who were the threats?
Why did the Japanese perceive them as threats?
Who were the threats?- The Chinese
Why did the Japanese perceive them as threats?
- Japan invaded China in 1937, and was met with strong resistance from the Chinese- The Chinese community in Singapore boycott Japanese goods and contributed to the anti-Japanese war funds for China
Night of the Long Katanas (Swords)
• The Japanese was determined to identify and kill suspected anti-Japanese elements among the Chinese community
• Chinese men of age 18-50 were brought to interrogation centers to be examined.
• Suspected men were killed.
- Syonan-to instead of Singapore
- Kempeitai used to restore order
- Operation Sook Ching (removing threats)
• Rationing– There was not enough food during the war, so
rationing was introduced. – Limited amount of food rationed out
malnutrition – Simple diets
• Black markets– Illegal buying and selling of goods– Hence, only those who could afford the high
prices could buy food that they need
• Inflation– Japanese printed so much banana money,
that the currency became useless
People were so thin, you could see their…
• Rationing
• Inflation
• Black markets
• Starvation
• Propaganda – To influence the
minds of the people in Singapore
– Controlled the publication of newspapers
– Controlled the media (radio)
• Nipponisation – Promoted the
Japanese culture – Taught Japanese
language to civil servants
– Schools were platforms to spread the Japanese culture
• Propaganda
• Nipponisation
• Lack of food
• Overcrowded living conditions
• Lack of health services
• High unemployment rate
• Poor sanitation
To solve the food shortage…• Cleared the harbour to enable ships transporting
foodstuffs to enter the port• Removed shipwrecks and mines• Docks were repaired and new warehouses were
constructed to store commodities that were brought into the port.
• Rationing was introduced• People’s Restaurants were opened to sell food at
reasonable prices
• A law on rent control was introduced (to prevent rents from increasing)
• Construction of flats for the people
(however, these solutions were not very successful
• British defense of Singapore
• Reasons for the fall of Singapore– British’s weaknesses– Japanese’s strengths
• Japanese Occupation– Political– Economic– Social
• Post-war Singapore