Subscribe to my education channel. bit.ly/gohbangrui These slides introduce the first part of Lower Secondary History Chapter 7: Life after World War II to the Secondary 2 students who are studying for the Singapore syllabus. These slides are the first of the series of slides for Chapter 7: Life after World War II. 1. Post-war Living Conditions after World War II 2. Maria Hertogh and Anti-National Service Riots 3. The Rendel Constitution and 1955 Elections Any feedback is welcome.

1. How did The
Local People
Respond to
British Rule
After World
War II?
Chapter 7
Part 1

2. Overview of Chapter 7
Part 1
Living Conditions
after the War
Part 2
Maria Hertogh and
Anti-NS riots
Part 3
Rendel Constitution
& 1955 Election

3. Living Conditions after the
War
Q1
What was post-
war conditions like
in Singapore?
Q2
How did post-war
conditions affect
the response of the
local people under
British rule?
Q3
How did the British
respond to the
strikes and
changing attitudes
of the local people?

4. 12th Sept 1945
Singapore

5. Surrender of
Japan
Welcome of
British

6. What was post-war conditions
like in Singapore?

7. Here are rows and rows of back-to-back houses
crammed to the physical limit. Conditions are
bad. Rooms contained 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.
“
”

8. Here are rows and rows of back-to-back houses
crammed to the physical limit. Conditions are
bad. Rooms contained 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.
“
”

10. Post-War
Living
Conditions
Shortage of food Shortage of
Housing
Shortage of Water
and Utilities
Unemployment

11. “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.”

12. How did post-war conditions
affect the response of the local
people under British rule?

13. With the
Japanese
Occupation, the
people no
longer regarded
the British as
superior.
Felt that it was
time for local
people to run
the country.
Many countries
around
Singapore that
were under
colonial rule had
gained
independence.
Change in People’s Attitude

14. Change in People’s attitude
Textbook, pg 134
… who went through the Second
World War…and came out
determined that no one – neither
the Japanese nor the British – had
the right to push and kick us
around … we saw for ourselves
that the local people could run the
country .

15. India, a former British
colony, gained
independence in 1947.
Change in
People’s attitude
Mahatma Gandhi

16. Strikes
&
Riots

17. The difficult living
conditions explained
why there were
waves of strikes and
work stoppages by
thousands of
workers from the
port, factories,
transport and
business companies
after 1945
Strikes

18. Strikes took place so
often in 1947 that it
was remembered as
‘The Year of Strikes’
More than 300
strikes were
organized by 70,000
people in that year
alone.

19. These strikes became
worse with the
involvement of the
MCP- Malayan
Communist Party.
The communists
stirred up people’s
feelings by blaming
the British for all the
post-war problems.

20. The communists
formed trade
unions and
encouraged
people to join
They are able to
influence
people to go on
strikes.

21. A riot is a form of
civil disorder
characterised
often by what is
thought of as
disorganised
groups lashing out
in a sudden against
authority, property
or people.
Riots
To be continued in Part 2
Two major riots in the 1950s
1. The Maria Hertogh riots
2. Anti-National Service riots

22. How did the British respond to the strikes and
the changing attitudes of the local people?

23. Initially
The British had
no intention to
give up
complete
control over
Singapore
However, they
knew some
powers would
have to be
transferred to
the people
To win the
support of the
people, the
British decided
to introduce
changes
gradually
• First minor change:
The first elections
was introduced in
1948

24. Elections were introduced
for the first time.
British allowed a few locals
to be elected into the
Legislative council.
1948
The 1948 elections was the
first step towards
democracy.

25. A Problem
It was a low-key
event.
Not all eligible
voters took part
in the election.

26. Why did the 1948 election have
poor attendance?

27. Many people were
not eligible to vote
as only those born in
Singapore could vote.
It was not
compulsory.

28. Singapore
Progressive
Party
(SPP)
The Singapore Progressive Party (SPP)
was the only party which took part in the
1948 election.

29. Out of a total of
6 seats in the
Legislative Council
Won by the
Singapore
Progressive Party
Won by the
Independents
The SPP worked
closely with the
British in the
Legislative Council.
refer to TB pg 136, 137.

30. Singapore
Progressive
Party
(SPP)
Equal treatment for both local and
European civil servants.
Proposed a financial security scheme for
retired workers (CPF).

31. BUT
SPP was not popular among the Chinese educated
locals.
Why?

32. SPP was made
up of English-
educated
members.
They are pro-
British and
believed in
gradual self-
government.
SPP failed to
put pressure on
the British
government for
more changes.

33. The British realised
that the MCP was the
main culprit in
organising strikes
through the trade
unions and created
disorder in the society.
1947
Thus, they passed
laws to control the
activities of trade
unions.

34. These laws required all the
trade unions to register with
the government from 1947
onwards.
With this measure, the British
could ensure that the unions
did not support the
communists.
Singapore Shell
Employees Union
United Worker of
Petroleum Industry
National Trades
Union Congress

35. Summary
Q1 What was post-war
conditions like in Singapore?
Living conditions were
difficult.
Part 1 – Living Conditions after the War
Q2 How did post-war conditions
affect the response of the local
people under British rule?
Change in People’s attitude
towards the British
Strikes and Riots

36. Q3 How did the British respond to the strikes and changing
attitudes of the local people?
First election introduced
in 1948
• British allowed a few
locals to be elected into
the Legislative council
Passed law to control the
activities of trade unions
• Ensure that the unions
did not support the
communists

37. But,
have the problems been solved?

38. Though the British allowed a small degree of self-
government with the introduction of the 1948
elections, people still faced social & economic
problems in the 1950s.

39. In the 1950s, two major riots
took place in Singapore that
clearly expressed anti-British
feelings.
1. The Maria Hertogh riots
2. Anti-National Service
riots

40. Created by
Goh Bang Rui
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