RI Y1 History Revision Package 2022 for EYE

1 Section A: Source-Based Questions [15 marks] Study the Background Information and the sources carefully, and then answer all the questions. In answering the questions, you should use your knowledge of the issue to help you interpret and evaluate the sources. 1 (a) Study Source A. What can you infer about British attitudes towards Singapore? Explain your answer. [5] (b) Study Sources B and C. How do the two sources differ in their views about Singapore’s defence? Explain your answer. [6] (c) Study Source D. What does the source tell you about General Yamashita ? Explain your answer. [4] RAFFLES INSTITUTION HUMANITIES DEPARTMENT HISTORY / YEAR 1 / Revision Package Name: _____________________________( ) Class: _____ Date: ______

2 Why did Singapore fall in 1942? BACKGROUND INFORMATION Read this carefully. It may help you to answer some of the questions. Winston Churchill described the fall of Singapore in February 1942 as “the greatest disaster in British military history”. That perception is one of two enduring things about the fall of Singapore. The other is the endless controversy over how it happened, why it happened, and above all, whose “fault” it was. This historical debate has continued until today, with historical arguments shifting due to new archival information and sources. Study the sources below to find out more about the fall of Singapore. Source A: A British cartoon about Singapore’s defences, published on 21 February 1941. The cartoon was published with the caption “And he huffed and he puffed and he puffed and he huffed”.

3 Source B: Adapted from a historian’s account on the fall of Singapore. Too often, British planes were caught on the ground. Some British infantry dubbed the dwindling airforce the ‘ Penguin Club’, because they had wings but didn’t fly. Lieutenant - Colonel Ian Stewart claimed he did not see one British aircraft between 10 December and 14 January, while his battalion suffered about 50 air casualties in the campaign. When British aircraft did fly, the results were not reassuring. The Japanese navy Zero fighters proved able to climb higher and faster than the RAF’s Brewster Buffalo fighters. The pilots of the Wildebeeste torpedo bomber, which made little more than 100 miles per hour (as opposed to the Japanese fighters clocking over 300 miles an hour) dubbed their machine ‘The Flying Coffin’. Source C: Adapted from “Report on the Surrender of Singapore”, written by a member of the volunteer forces serving at Fort Belayer. …it became clear that the attack on Singapore would be from the north.. . Admittedly, the harbour defences had to be preserved but nevertheless the guns could have been used if the back walls of the forts had been knocked down. It seems clear that the higher authorities refused to consider or allow this. I heard that Captain P ickard was refused permission to knock down his obstructing back walls. I believe, also, that the men on Buona Vista, whose 15-inch guns never fired a shot, requested their officers to knock down obstructing walls but nothing was done. Source D: An extract of General Yamashita’s account of the invasion of Singapore, written after the war in 1946. 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 very frightened all the time that the British would discover our numerical weakness and lack of supplies and force me into disastrous street fighting.

4 Section B: Structured-Essay Questions [15m] 2 This question is on the Founding of Singapore. Explain one challenge that Raffles overcame in trying to make Singapore a British trading settlement. [5] 3 This question is on Singapore under British Rule. Explain why the British healthcare policy was necessary to the locals in Singapore during the 19th century. [5] 4 This question is on the role of immigrants. Explain why the contributions of labourers were important to Singapore’s economic development during British rule. [5] . END OF PAPER . Copyright Acknowledgement Source A © https://mothership.sg/2019/09/1941-cartoon-singapore/ Source B © War Office: Directorate of Military Operations and Military Intelligence, and predecessors: Correspondence and Papers: 1837-1962. (1941). WO 106/2550C. Source C © Blackburn, K., & Hack, K. (2003). Did Singapore Have to Fall?: Churchill and the Impregnable Fortress. Routledge. Source D © Potter, J. D. (1963). A soldier must hang; the biography of an oriental general. F. Muller.

5 Structured-Essay Revision Questions The Founding of Singapore 1. Explain one reason why Britain (East India Company) wanted to find a new trading port in the Malay Archipelago. [pp. 48 – 49] 2. Explain one attraction about Singapore that convinced Raffles to make it a British trading port. [pp. 50 - 64] Singapore under British Rule 3. Explain an economic policy or action carried out by the British to make Singapore a viable trading port. [pp. 81 – 85] 4. Explain why maintaining law and order was necessary during British rule. [pp. 91 – 104] 5. Explain why the provision of education was important to Singapore’s growth during British rule. [pp. 106 – 107 & pp. 154 – 157] Coming of Immigrants 6. Explain one way that immigrants contributed to Singapore’s economic development. [pp. 140 – 151] 7. Explain one factor that drove Asians to migrate to Singapore after it became a British trading settlement. [pp. 138 – 139] Fall of Singapore 8. Explain one factor which contributed to the rapid fall of Singapore. [pp. 180 – 205] ----------------------------------------- END OF EXERCISE ------------------------------------------