The Japanese attacked Singapore from Malaya instead of by sea as expected by the British. The Japanese were better trained in jungle warfare and used bicycles and tanks effectively. The British underestimated the Japanese air and naval forces. General Percival was an indecisive leader while Yamashita effectively used deception and tactics. Facing defeat, the British surrendered on 15 February 1942. Singapore fell under harsh Japanese occupation until the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and Soviet invasion of Manchuria led to Japan's surrender on 15 August 1945.

1. 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 Image acquired at:
very quickly. http://sipseystreetirregulars.blogspot.sg/2009/07/praxis
-bicycle-infantry.html
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2. 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outdated.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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3. 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.
Image acquired at:
http://flaggedrevs.labs.wikimedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Ern
est_Percival
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4. 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.
. “My attack on Singapore was a
bluff – a bluff that worked. I
had 30,000 men and was
outnumbered more than three to
one. I knew if I had to fight long
for Singapore I would be
beaten. That is why the surrender
had to be at once. I was
Image acquired at:
frightened all the time that the
British would discover our http://flaggedrevs.labs.wikimedia.org/wiki/Tomoyuki_
Yamashital
numerical weakness and lack of
supplies and force me into
disastrous street fighting.” Return to Room

5. 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.
Image acquired at:
http://singaporesojourn.blogspot.sg/2009_12_27_archi
ve.html
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6. 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.
Image acquired at:
http://sgforums.com/forums/8/topics/199261
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7. 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.

8. Rationing
Due 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.
Image acquired at:
http://www.psywar.org/malaya.php
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9. 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.
Image acquired at:
wolfpackclan.blogspot.com
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Image acquired at:
http://www.mindef.gov.sg/imindef/about_us/history/w
orld_war2/v09n06_history.html

10. 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:
“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 Image acquired at:
destruction that the ultimatum of July historywarsweapons.com
26 was issued at Potsdam. Their
leaders promptly rejected that
ultimatum. If they do not now accept Return to Room
our terms they may expect a rain of ruin
from the air, the like of which has never
been seen on this earth ...”

11. 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.
Image acquired at:
Place URL here
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12. 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.
Image acquired at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Soviet_Japanese_Neu
trality_Pact_13_April_1941.jpg
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13. The Japanese Surrender
On 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.
“... Des pite 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,
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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

14. 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 Image acquired at:
workers' discontent. http://breathehistory2.wikispaces.com/How+did+the+
Local+People+Respond+to+British+Rule+After+Worl
d+War+II%3F
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.
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15. Responses to the British after
World War II
The locals had many reactions to the return of the British:
As can be seen, the response from
“We never thought the British would surrender so easily. We thought at least the locals were mostly negative.
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 Faith in the British have been lost
that the Japanese bombers would be shot down. But in a matter of weeks, the and yearn for independence has
Japanese just wiped them out. Soon the British surrendered. We had lost our
faith in them.” developed.
-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 Image acquired at:
that there was no freedom in speech or meetings. Many countries around the Place URL here
world had gained independence and they felt that Singapore should stand up
to fight against the British.”
- An English educated student
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16. 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.
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. Return to Room
1971 - Last British military forces withdrawn.