Japanese attack on Malaya

Instead of attacking from the seas as the British thought the Japanese would, the Japanese attacked Singapore from Malaya. The British felt that the geography of Malaya would stop the Japanese from attacking through Malaya as the coastal plains were about 15 miles wide and filled with mangrove swamps and the mountain range, which runs from the north to the south is covered with jungles and would not have been easily captured by the Japanese. However, the Japanese were more trained at jungle warfare than the British soldiers. They came in bikes which was an efficient method of transport through the jungles and they also used thanks which had taken the British aback during the battle of Jitra as it move very quickly.

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Domination of the air and seas

The Japanese dominated the air and the seas. The British had underestimated the Japanese and believed that the navy and air force of the Japanese were inferior. However, the Japanese’s ‘Zero’ fighter were modern and swift, which destroyed half of the British planes, which were old and outdated. The HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse, the only 2 warships that the British had, were sunk easily 60 miles of the coast of Kuantan on the 10th of December 1941 due to the lack of air support. Ergo, the Japanese were able to seize control of the air and the seas.

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General Percival – a bad leader

General Percival was not very effective at leading the soldiers into war. When the Japanese were preparing to invade, General Percival ordered his troops to withdraw if necessary to protect the town centre, but the troops misunderstood him and withdrew even before the Japanese arrived. This was a huge blunder that was a contributing factor in why the Japanese managed to capture Singapore in a mere 2 weeks. General Percival was also very indecisive. At one point in time, he was thinking of how to counter the Japanese, but he took back his ideas as the rest of the people did not agree with him. His indecisiveness caused Singapore to lose the war.

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Yamashita– an effective leader

Yamashita, on the other hand was a very good leader. He was a good strategist and had decision quickly. For example, he decided to set up his base at the Johor Sultan’s palace as he knew the British will not attack it and he bombed Changi and Pulau Ubin to trick the British into thinking that he would be attacking from the northeast, when he actually attacked from the northwest.

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“My attack on Singapore was a bluff – a bluff that worked. Ihad 30,000 men and was outnumbered more than three toone. I knew if I had to fight long for Singapore I would bebeaten. That is why the surrender had to be at once. I wasfrightened all the time that the British would discover ournumerical weakness and lack of supplies and force me intodisastrous street fighting.”

British surrender

The British were running out of water and food. The soldiers were also too tired to fight anymore. Morale was low and many men were already killed in the war. Therefore, the British decided to surrender to the Japanese. The surrender took place at the Ford Motor Factory. The Japanese asked for an unconditional surrender as in truth, the attack on Singapore was actually a bluff and if the Japanese continued fighting, they would be outnumbered more than 3 to 1. The Japanese also lacked supplies and wanted to end the war as quickly as possible.

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Syonan-to

On 15 February 1942, Singapore fell into the hands of the Japanese. Singapore was renamed Syonan-to, which means ‘the Radiant South’.Life under the Japanese was tumultuous and people lived in constant fear. The Japanese handed out harsh punishment for even the smallest crime, like not bowing to a Japanese. The Japanese would torture or kill anyone suspected of being anti-Japanese. Crime rate then was surprisingly low as despite the lack of food. This just shows how brutal and cruel the Japanese were at that time.

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Treatment of the citizens of Singapore

The Japanese were not so harsh on the Malays and Indians as they were not seen as a treat. However, the Malays or Indians who disobeyed the Japanese were sent to build the ‘Death railway’.

Eurasians were under the close eye of the Kempeitai. Those suspected to be pro-British were executed.

The Chinese had the worst treatment of all the races as they put up a strong resistance when the Japanese attacked China. All Chinese men between 18 and 50 were to be sent for ‘Sook Ching’ which was to identify any anti-Japanese Chinese. Those identified as anti-Japanese would be killed by the Japanese.

RationingDue to the severe food shortages during the Japanese occupation, food rationing was introduced to control the sales of essential food items such as rice, salt and sugar. The rationed foodstuff was not enough for the people and many lived in poverty and suffered from malnutrition and diseases. Black markets were opened and foodstuff were sold at high prices there. The situation worsened when the Japanese introduced Banana notes, which had no serial number so the Japanese could print as much as they want for themselves. As there were a lot of such banana notes, the prices of foodstuff increased dramatically.

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Anti-Japanese groups

The people of Singapore resented the rule of the Japanese rule. Anti-Japanese groups were formed to fight against the Japanese. For example the Malayan Communist Party formed the Malayan People’s Anti-Japanese Army of MPAJA to fight against the Japanese in the Malayan jungles. Another group formed was Force 136. The British set us this secret organization to gather information about the Japanese and organize sabotage activities. The artifact at the side shows the members of Force 136.

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U.S. Bombing of Japan- Hiroshima

On 6 August 1945, the U.S. dropped an atomic bomb (code-named “Little Boy”) over the Japanese city of Hiroshima in southwest Honshū. Hours later, a broadcast from the U.S. President Harry Truman was received:

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“We are now prepared to obliterate more rapidly and completely every productive enterprise the Japanese have above ground in any city. We shall destroy their docks, their factories, and their communications. Let there be no mistake; we shall completely destroy Japan's power to make war. It was to spare the Japanese people from utter destruction that the ultimatum of July 26 was issued at Potsdam. Their leaders promptly rejected that ultimatum. If they do not now accept our terms they may expect a rain of ruin from the air, the like of which has never been seen on this earth ...”

U.S. Bombing of Japan- Nagasaki

On 9 August, a second atomic bomb, “Fat Man”, was dropped on Nagasaki, on the west coast of Kyūshū. This bomb was supposed to be more powerful than “Little Boy”, but it exploded in a valley, thus causing about the same amount of destruction.

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Soviet Invasion of Manchuria

On 9 August, the Soviet Union broke the Neutrality Pact, declared war on Japan, and launched an invasion of Manchuria.

The Soviet-Japanese Neutrality Pact, more extensively known as the Japanese-Soviet Non-aggression Pact, was a pact between Japan and the Soviet Union signed on April 13, 1941, 2 years after the brief Soviet-Japanese Border War.

Along with the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, this invasion forced the Japanese to surrender and to end the war at once.

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The Japanese SurrenderOn 15 August 1945, the Japanese Emperor, in a special radio broadcast, informed the people of the surrender to the Allied Forces. They were warned that they had to “bear the unbearable” and “endure the unendurable”. The formal surrender occurred September 2, 1945, aboard the USS Missouri. Representatives from Japan signed the Japanese Instrument of Surrender, with Shigemitsu signing for the civil government, and Gen. Umezu signing for the military.

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“... Despite the best that has been done by everyone—the gallant fighting of the military and naval forces, the diligence and assiduity of Our servants of the State, and the devoted service of Our one hundred million people—the war situation has developed not necessarily to Japan's advantage, while the general trends of the world have all turned against her interest.Moreover, the enemy has begun to employ a new and most cruel bomb, the power of which to do damage is, indeed, incalculable, taking the toll of many innocent lives. Should we continue to fight, not only would it result in an ultimate collapse and obliteration of the Japanese nation, but also it would lead to the total extinction of human civilization.Such being the case, how are We to save the millions of Our subjects, or to atone Ourselves before the hallowed spirits of Our Imperial Ancestors? This is the reason why We have ordered the acceptance of the provisions of the Joint Declaration of the Powers.The hardships and sufferings to which Our nation is to be subjected hereafter will be certainly great. We are keenly aware of the inmost feelings of all of you, Our subjects. However, it is according to the dictates of time and fate that We have resolved to pave the way for a grand peace for all the generations to come by enduring the unendurable and suffering what is unsufferable.”

Post-War Singapore

The British were cheered when they returned to Singapore in September 1945.

Singapore was ruled by the British Military Administration (BMA) between September 1945 and March 1946. It also served as the headquarters of the British governor-general for Southeast Asia.

However, much of the infrastructure, including electricity and water supply systems and the facilities at the Port of Singapore, have been destroyed. Many problems arised, including food shortage, malnutrition, disease and rampant crimes and violence. Unemployment, high food prices, and workers' discontent.

Furthermore, the failure of the British to defend Singapore has destroyed their credibility as ‘infallible rulers’. The trust and respect for the British was not as strong as before. Return to Room

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Responses to the British after World War II

The locals had many reactions to the return of the British:

“We never thought the British would surrender so easily. We thought at least Singapore could hold. When the Repulse and the Prince of Wales came, and then the Hurricane fighter planes were sent to protect Singapore, we thought that the Japanese bombers would be shot down. But in a matter of weeks, the Japanese just wiped them out. Soon the British surrendered. We had lost our faith in them.”

-A trader living in Singapore

“Here are rows and rows of back-to-back houses crammed to the physical limit. Conditions are bad. Rooms contain several separate families. Those who cannot share rooms live underneath stairways or in cubicles which are in complete darkness at all hours of the day and without direct contact with sunlight. Many houses have but one water-tap for the whole house and all the inmates share one bucket-type latrine. The dirt and stench are appalling.”

- A Malay living in Singapore

“The students showed anti-British sentiments in their daily speeches. They felt that there was no freedom in speech or meetings. Many countries around the world had gained independence and they felt that Singapore should stand up to fight against the British.”

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As can be seen, the response from the locals were mostly negative. Faith in the British have been lost and yearn for independence has developed.

Road to Independence

The failure of the British and a few other factors led to the locals wanting independence for their country. However, it was not without a struggle. The timeline below will illustrate the important historical events on the road to independence.

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1946 - Singapore becomes separate crown colony.

1948 - First elections held

1959 - Self-government attained with Lee Kuan Yew

as prime minister.

1963 - Singapore joins the Federation of Malaya,

Sabah (North Borneo), and Sarawak in the

Federation of Malaysia.

1965 - Singapore pulls out of the Federation of

Malaysia, at Malaysia's invitation, amid political and

ethnic tensions. The territory becomes an

independent republic and joins the United Nations.

1971 - Last British military forces withdrawn.