The document summarizes key events during the Japanese occupation of Singapore during World War 2. It describes how Singapore fell to the Japanese in February 1942, leading to three and a half years of harsh Japanese rule. The Japanese imprisoned Allied forces and locals in brutal conditions. In particular, the Chinese population faced severe persecution through actions like the Sook Ching massacre. Life for civilians involved constant fear, malnutrition, and suffering under the oppressive Japanese regime. Resistance groups like the MPAJA fought back through guerilla tactics. The occupation reinforced Singaporeans' desire for independence after the war.

1. THE FALL OF SINGAPORE World War II

2. Major areas of attack : Tengah Airfield, Kranji, Bukit Timah, City areas Surrender of the British 15 Feb 1942 – "Black Sunday"

3. NAVAL BASE SURRENDER PERIMETER MANDAI/NEE SOON BUKIT TIMAH PASIR PANJANG 15 FEB 1942 TENGAH SELETAR SEMBAWANG 2 1 3 4

4. 15 FEB 1942 bLACK sUNDAY

5. THE SYONAN YEARS

6. Coming under New Masters Meeting Their Fates Living the Days of Darkness Fighting against the Japanese Lessons from the Japanese Occupation SINGAPORE DURING THE JAPANESE OCCUPATION

7. COMING UNDER NEW MASTERS Singapore – Renamed ‘Syonan-To’ Syonan = Light of the South People suffered great hardships Lived in constant fear of the Japanese

8. MEETING THEIR FATES The Allied POWs The Local Civilians

9. MEETING THEIR FATES The Allied POWs British, Australian and Allied Europeans, including women and children, were imprisoned became POWs Changi Prison, Selarang Barracks numbered more than 50,000

10. MEETING THEIR FATES The Allied POWs Indians soldiers and Gurkhas asked to pledge loyalty to Japan asked to join the Indian National Army (INA) set up by CPT Mohan Singh, a surrendered officer from the British Indian Army those who refused were tortured, imprisoned or killed

11. MEETING THEIR FATES The Local Civilians Japanese took action to place locals under control determined to wipe out those who might threaten their rule The Chinese became the main target Wipe out all those considered to be anti-Japanese Operation Sook Ching

13. Singapore Under Japanese Rule

14. Singapore Under Japanese Rule

15. Japanese soldiers using a prisoner as a live target to practise bayonet fighting A Japanese soldier torturing a prisoner

16. THE PRICE OF PEACE

17. THE WATER TREATMENT “… ..our captors beat us up, subject us to electric shocks and pumped us up with water as part of the interrogation routine. The feeling of having one’s belly pumped full of water and then seeing the water gushing out of the body was hardly bearable.”

18. ELECTRIC SHOCKS “… ..when my interrogators could not get information out of me, they dragged my husband from Outram Prison, tied him up and made him kneel beside me. Then, in his full view, they stripped me to the waist and applied electric currents to me.”

19. ELECTRIC SHOCKS “… ..the electric shocks sent my whole body into spasms; my tears and mucus flowed uncontrollably. The pain was indescribable, but it must have been thousands of times worse for my husband who had to see me being tortured.” “ A Shameful Past in Human Memory : A Verbal Account by Elizabeth Choy” by Jane Thum Soon Kun in The Price of Peace

20. MEETING THEIR FATES The Japanese regarded the Chinese as their arch enemies. Why? 1. Strong Chinese resistance during Japanese invasion of China 2. Chinese in S’pore actively helped China in its fight against Japan’s attack 3. In the Battle of Bukit Timah, the Chinese volunteers put up a fierce resistance against the invading Japanese troops

21. MEETING THEIR FATES Mass Screening All Chinese men 18-50 years old report to Mass screening centres Questioned by Japanese or singled out by hooded local informers More fortunate ones allowed to go home “ EXAMINED” stamped on a small piece of paper sometimes stamped onto shirts or arms Those accused of being anti-Japanese were brought to remote areas of Singapore and killed

22. MEETING THEIR FATES Eurasians suffered - related to Europeans Japanese thought the Eurasians saw themselves as superior to the Asians Many belonged to the Singapore Volunteer Corps and fought against the Japanese Those suspected of helping the British were shot Others were imprisoned

23. MEETING THEIR FATES Malays and Indians Japanese did not see them as a threat Tried to win the support of the Malays and convince them that Japan would free them from Japanese rule Persuaded Indians that Japan would free India from Britain Both races not entirely spared though, esp if they did not obey Japanese orders

24. LIVING THE DAYS OF DARKNESS FEAR Harsh action taken to establish control Looters were shot and beheaded, public display of heads Barbed wires to form road blocks Bowing as a sign of respect

25. LIVING THE DAYS OF DARKNESS FEAR Close watch over the people Documents - work badges, vehicle and radio passes Families had to be registered Surprise checks

26. THE KEMPEITAI Most feared of all Japanese Spies all over the island encouraged people to supply them with info by giving rewards and privileges Anti-Jap suspects beaten and tortured until they reveal the info the Japs wanted Nobody knew whom to trust Anti-Japanese suspects were tortured to make them confess or to extract information from them Often people were punished for crimes they did not commit

27. LIVING THE DAYS OF DARKNESS Hardship and Suffering Life of POWs in prison camps Death Railway

28. DEATH RAILWAY

29. LIVING THE DAYS OF DARKNESS Hardship and Suffering Local civilians - serious shortage of food and other goods Essential foodstuffs like rice, salt and sugar were controlled Ration cards : Limit amount of food for each person Coping with shortages : Simple diets; substitutes; improvise Malnutrition and diseases Shortage of medicine

30. LIVING THE DAYS OF DARKNESS Black Market Not only basic necessities but all sorts of goods Because of shortages Banana notes - worthless

31. BANABA NOTES

32. LIVING THE DAYS OF DARKNESS Propaganda To influence the minds of the people to show loyalty to Japan 1. Learn the Japanese language 2. Influence school children 3. Controlled radio stations and radio sets 4. Only Japanese movies and propaganda shown in cinemas 5. Chinese and English newspapers controlled strictly by Japanese

33. ANTI-JAPANESE GROUPS MPAJA : Malayan People’s Anti-Japanese Army sudden attacks on Japanese troops Hid in the Malayan jungles Life was hard there tried to stir up anti-Japanese feelings among the people by distributing newspapers

34. ANTI-JAPANESE GROUPS Force 136 Secret British organisation to organise sabotage activities locals were also recruited trained secretly in India and sent to Malaya to help MPAJA Lim Bo Seng was one of the leaders Captured in Mar 1944 and tortured to death

35. LESSONS Defeat of the British poor preparations for war underestimation of enemy always be prepared to defend one’s country Respect for British dipped after the war People’s suffering need to rid Singapore of foreign masters

36. LEE KUAN YEW “ M y colleagues and I are of that generation of young men who went through the Second World War and the Japanese Occupation and became determined that no one - neither the Japanese nor the British - had the right to push and kick us around. We were determined that we could govern ourselves and bring up our children in a country where we can be a self-respecting people.”

37. CHANGI PRISON CHAPEL

38. CHANGI MURALS