Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Efforts made by the British to defend Singapore
1. Construction of Naval Base in 1938
2. "Main Fleet to Singapore" Strategy
3. 15-inch guns were installed facing the sea
4. Military Airfields were built in Tengah & Sembawang
5. Underground bunkers were built
6. Battleships & troops were sent to Singapore in 1941
Why did the British lose the war
1. British priority to the war in Europe
  1. financially drained
2. British were complacent
  1. Underestimated the Japanese Airforce, Army & Navy
  2. Thought Singapore was protected from the North
3. Poor Leadership
  1. Did not follow Percival's order to counter attack
4. Inferior Equipment
  1. Planes were old and outdated
Why did the Japanese win the war
1. Japanese were well-prepared
  1. They have intelligence services set up in Malaya & Singapore
    1. Provide information on British defence & readiness before the war
    2. Better plan how to attack Singapore
2. Superiority in Battle Strategy, Armed Forces & Leadership
  1. Better trained in jungle warfare
  2. Modern Airforce and Naval Fleet
  3. used bicycles to move swifty down Malaya
  4. Managed to convince the British to surrender despite being outnumbered
What were the reactions of the people towards the Japanese attacks
1. Did not believe that the British would be defeated by the Japanese
What happened to Singapore during the Japanese Occupation
1. Singapore was renamed 'Syonan-to'
2. The Japanese Military Police, Kempeitai, were sent to restore order in Singapore
What happened to the people in Singapore
1. Europeans
  1. British, Australians and Allied Europeans became prisoners-of-war
  2. Allied soldiers were forced to march from Padang to Selarang Barracks
  3. European civilians were marched to Katong before going to Changi Prison
2. Eurasians
  1. Threat to Japanese
  2. treated harshly
  3. Put in prison camps
  4. those suspected of helping the British were killed
3. Indians & Malays
  1. Not regarded as a threat
  2. convinced them that they would be freed from the British
  3. Killed if they displeased the Japanese
  4. Death Railway Camps
4. Chinese
  1. Sook Ching
  2. Forced to collect 50 million for Japan War effort
How were the lives of people affected
1. Exposed to Propaganda
2. Lived in Fear & Anxiety
3. Severe food shortages
4. Soaring prices
How was propaganda used
1. to remove western influence
  1. morning assembly
  2. mass drills
  3. teachers & students must learn Japanese
2. use of media
  1. Radio stations were controlled by the Japanese
  2. Only Japanese movies & propaganda films are shown
How was fear used to rule the people
1. Punishment was swift and severe
2. Many anti- Japanese suspects were tortures
Problem of food shortage
1. food rationing
2. malnutrition & diseases
3. Essential foodstuffs were sold at high prices
Post war problems and actions taken by the British
1. shortage of food, water & electricity
2. lack of housing (overcrowding & unhygienic living conditions)
3. lack of health services
4. umemployment
5. British Military Admission
6. Japanese POWs were made to restore electricity, gas & other essential services; repair water mains
7. Food Shortage
  1. habour was cleared of shipwreck & mines
  2. Docks were repaired
  3. new warehouses were built
  4. amount of food given is rationed
  5. opened people's restaurants that sell food at a reasonable price
8. Housing problems
  1. Law on rent
  2. construction of flats

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