How long does it take for modern nation to be created? What are turning points?
World War 2 as a turning point and historically important?
What was the impact of the Japanese Occupation on the people living in Singapore?
• WHY STUDY THE JAPANESE OCCUPATION?• RECAP: OUR TWO INQUIRY QUESTIONS AND PROJECTS• ROLE-TAKING: 6 PERSONALITIES• COMPASS POINTS• KEY EVENTS DURING THE JAPANESE OCCUPATION
Inquiry questions What was World War 2 like for people who
fought in the Battle for Singapore?
What was life like for people in Singapore during the Japanese Occupation?
Look at the information cardsSelect your main character
Why did your group select this personality? What questions might you have?
English Ed Local Born
Western POW
Japanese Indians Malays Immigrant Chinese or Chinese Ed Local Born
Teo Kah Leng
Mary Thomas
Mamoru Shinozaki
Col. Prem Saghal
Masuri bin Salikun
Ng Chin Heng
Main events during the Japanese Occupation
Impact on- Westerners- Japanese- Straits Chinese and English educated Local-Born- Chinese educated Local-born and Chinese
immmigrants- Indians- Malays
ProtocolMain events of Japanese Occupation will be shown to youUse the COMPASS Points to guide your group discussion
E = Excitement level (1-5)How would this event excite your character?
W=Worry level (1-5)How would this event worry your character?
N=Needs: How would your character need most when this event takes place?
S=Stand: Take a step back, what is your current stand or position on this?
Some key events before the fall of Singapore
1940: Japanese diplomats and others are arrested and imprisoned by the British in Changi prison.
1941, 4 Dec: Members from extreme Malay political party, Kersatuan Melayu Muda (KMM) were arrested by the British.
1941, Jan: Battle for Malaya was lost 1942, 9 Feb: Battle for Singapore: Kranji-Jurong
Lines, Pasir Panjang, Opium Hill
18 Feb: 1942. Allied Prisoners of War and civilians march to Changi Prison (11)
View of General Post Office at Fullerton Building. It is where the Chamber of Commerce and the Singapore Club was once housed. The building is now the Fullerton Hotel
Death Railway
Sook Ching Campaign (12)
Japanese occupation of Peiping (Beijing) in China, on August 13, 1937.
March, 1942: Overseas China Association was formed under Dr Lim Boon Keng (14)
MEETING DURING THE JAPANESE OCCUPATION. DR LIM BOON KENG, LEADER OF THE OVERSEAS CHINESE ASSOCIATION IS SEATED IN THE FIRST ROW, SECOND FROM RIGHT. DATED 1942-1945.
Tan Kah Kee was elected as president of the South-East Asia Federation of the China Relief Fund. In Oct 1938. He addressed 10,000 at Happy World in May 1939.
Nanyang volunteers
Overseas Chinese raising relief funds for China. Group photograph Singapore Federation of Clan Associations.
April 1942: Schools are told to reopen. (13)
Only 23 schools out of 369 schools are open in Singapore compared to pre-war years after the first year of Occupation 721 schools out of 885 Malay Schools are open in Malaya after first year of Occupation Catholic schools as Municipal Schools with missionaries from neutral countries. No religious classes taught Nipponization – Nippon-go (language) and Nippon-jin (teacher)
Jan, 1943: Conference for Sultans of Malaya and Sumatra (15)
Japanese Army Lieutenant General Tomoyuki Yamashita receives a courtesy visit by sultans of Malay penninsula on April 11, 1942 in Singapore.
July-Oct, 1943: Indian Nationalist leader Subhas Chandra Bose in Sg (16)
Rhani of Jhansi Regiment
Sept 1943: Operation Jaywick (17)
6 Japanese cargo ships and an oil tanker are sunk in Singapore Harbour
Oct 10. 1943: Double 10th Incident (18)
Internees in Changi prisons and other civilians are brought to Kempetai HQ for interrogation. 57 civilian prisoners from Changi were tortured, resulting in the death of 15.
Oct, 1943: Kedah Perlis, Kelantan and Trengganu as Si Rat Malai (19)
PM Luang Pibulsongram
Dec 1943: Pembela Tanah Air (PETA) or Defenders of the Homeland (20)
2,000 Malay youths are given basic military and weapons training and tasked to defend Malaya.
1943: Malayan People’s Anti-Japanese Army are formed (21)
April, 1944: Civilian Prisoners are moved to Sime Road Camp (22)
Nov,1944 – March 1945: US Bombings on Singapore infrastructure (23)
11 air raids on Sg naval base and dockyards. Minelaying missions in Sg waters
1945: KRIS (Kesatuan Rakyat Idonesia Semenajung or Union of Peninsula Indonesians) was formed (24)
Throughout: Food shortages, disease.Inflation and blackmarkets (25)
Bahau, Negri Sembilan (1943)
Endau, Johor (1943)
9 Aug 1945: Japan Surrenders after atomic bombs are used on Nagsaki and Hiroshima(24)
Things to do:Task 1: Dig extra information What were some WW2 family stories that you might have? Where did they information come from? More than 1 source? Any artefacts that I can find? Take a picture and post it
Task 2: Prediction Your character represents a social group. E.g. Malays etc. Predict what the British might do when they return to
power. Use COMPASS (EWNS) and predict what your people might
be thinking after the war ends?