Sec 2 Zistory Guidebook (NEW SYLLABUS)

zistory! Secondary2 HistoryGuidebook 1Telegram: https://t.me/zivstoryNot for further saleandcirculation.

zistory! Chapter6:WhatDidthePeopleinSingaporeExperienceDuringtheJapaneseOccupation? KeyKnowledge ● Repressionandresistance● Economichardshipsandresilience Bytheendofthischapter, I can… ● Describepeople'sexperiencesduringtheJapaneseOccupation. HowdidtheJapaneseattempttoforcefullysecurepowerinSingapore?1.MetingoutharshpunishmentsThroughouttheJapaneseOccupation,harshpunishmentswereimposedoncriminalsandotherpeopleseenbytheJapaneseastheirenemies.Forexample,toputanendtothelootingthathappenedjustaftertheBritishsurrender,theJapaneseexecutedthosewhowerecaughtlooting.TheheadsweredisplayedpubliclyinplacessuchastheopenareaoutsidetheCathayBuilding,andonbridgesacrosstheSingaporeRiver. SuchharshpunishmentscreatedfearandservedasseverewarningstothepeopleaboutthepotentialconsequencesofgoingagainsttheJapanese.ThismadepeopleconformtoJapaneserule,thusincreasingtheJapanese’sgripoverSingapore. 2.ImprisoningalliedsoldiersWhentheJapanesetookcontroloftheisland,theyhadplanstodealwiththeAlliedtroopsandthepeopleinSingapore.OneofthefirstthingsthattheJapanesedidwastoimprisontheBritish,AustraliansandAlliedEuropeansinSingapore,includingwomenandchildren.TheAlliedprisonersofwarwereforcedtomarchinpublicfromBukitTimahRoadtoChangiPrisonandthebarracksnearby,wheretheywouldbeimprisoned.ThiswouldgreatlyreducethechanceofthealliedsoldiersresistingtheJapaneseruleofSingapore,hencereducingthethreatofamilitaryuprisingagainsttheJapanesegovernment.ThisfurtherconsolidatedJapanesepowerinSingapore. 2Telegram: https://t.me/zivstoryNot for further saleandcirculation.

zistory! 3.CarryingoutOperationSookChingSoonaftertakingcontrolofSingapore,theJapaneseforcescarriedoutOperationSookChingwhichaimedtoidentifyandeliminateanti-Japaneseelementsamongthelocalpopulation.ItwasabrutalpurgeofmembersoftheChinesecommunitywhoweresuspectedofbeinganti-Japanese.TheKempeitaiwasplacedinchargeofthisoperation.TheChinesepopulationwastargetedastheywereviewedbytheJapaneseasapotentialsourceofoppositionandthreattotheirrule.ThiswasbecausewhentheJapaneseinvadedChinain1937,theyfacedstrongresistancefromtheChinese,includingChinesecommunitieslivingoutsideChina.Forinstance,theChinesecommunityinSingaporecalledforaboycottofJapanesegoodsandcontributedfundstoChina’seffortsagainstJapan.SomeevenreturnedtoChinatojoininthefightagainsttheJapanese.InOperationSookChing,allChinesemenaged18to50weretoreporttomassscreeningcentrestobeexaminedbytheJapanese.TheChinesemenwentbeforeaJapaneseofficerwhosatatatableinaheavilyguardedbarbedwireenclosure.Informantswouldidentifypeoplewhoweresuspectedtobeanti-JapaneseandpassontheinformationtotheKempeitai.TheinformantswouldfindpeopleinsecretsocietiesorformerChinesecivilservantsandjournalistsmoresuspicioustoberesistanttotheJapanese.Thosenotidentifiedasanti-JapanesewereallowedtogohomewhereasthosewhodidnotpassthescreeningweretransportedtobeachesinPunggolandChangitogetexecuted.ThismadethelocalsfearfuloftheJapaneseastheymightbesuspectedofbeinganti-JapaneseandgetexecutedjustliketheChinesewhowerekilledinSookChing,thuspreventingthelocalsfromresistingtheJapanese.ThisfurthersolidifiedJapanesecontroloverSingapore,whichstrengthenedthegovernment’spower. 4.CoercingtheChinesebusinesscommunityTheJapanesealsotargetedtheChinesebusinessmeninSingaporebecauseoftheirgenerouscontributionstotheChinaReliefFund,supportingChina’sresistanceagainstJapan.TheOverseasChineseAssociation(OCA)wascreatedtoactasachannelofcommunicationbetweentheChinesecommunityandtheJapanesegovernment.TheJapanesegovernmentdemandedthattheOCAgive50millionStraitsdollarstotheJapaneseadministration.ThiswastopunishtheChinesecommunityinMalayaandSingaporeforsupportinganti-JapanesewaractivitiesinChinaaswellasBritishwareffortsinMalayaandSingapore,servingasawarningtothelocalstonotopposeJapanesepower. ThisincreasedthecooperationthatlocalsshowedtowardstheJapaneseastheyconformedtotheJapanesegovernment. 3Telegram: https://t.me/zivstoryNot for further saleandcirculation.

zistory! HowdidtheJapaneseattempttowinloyaltyinSingapore?1.UsingpropagandaOnewaytheydidsowasthroughpropagandatoinfluencethemindsofthepeopleinSingaporeandgaintheirloyalty.TheJapaneseportrayedthemselvesasliberatorswhohadcometofreeAsiansfromcolonialrule.Forinstance,theytriedtoconvincethelocalstoaccepttheirvisionoftheGreaterEastAsiaCo-ProsperitySphereinwhichJapanwouldfreeAsiannationsfromthecontrolofWesterncolonialpowers.ThisvisionalsopressedforaunitedAsiathatwouldbenefitfromsharingresourcescollectively.Thesemessageswerespreadthroughvariouschannels,suchaspostersandradiobroadcasts.ThiswouldthenhelptheJapanesetoleaveagoodimpressiononthelocalsthattheywerethelocals’“heroes”whohadcometosavethemfromtheBritish’sineffectiverule,thusbeingabletowinloyaltyfromthepeopleinSingapore. 2.ProvidingbenefitsforthelocalsIntheirattempttowinlocalsupport,theJapaneseprovidedcertainbenefits,suchasschoolingandaccommodation,atnocost.Forexample,schooltextbookswereprovidedfreeofchargeto20,000studentsin1944.TheJapanesealsoappealedtosomeethnicgroupsbygivingthemfavourabletreatment.TheMalayNationalistorganisationUnionofMalayYouthrespondedpositivelytoJapanesepropagandathatpromisedbetterlivesforMalaysunderanAsianpower.ThisresultedinMalaysbeingtreatedlessharshlybytheJapanese.Forinstance,theJapanesedistributedrice,sugarandsalttothelessfortunateforHariRayaPuasa.MalaysandIndianswerealsochargedlowerfeesthantheChinesetocrosstheCauseway. ThiswouldthenhelptheJapanesetoleaveagoodimpressiononthelocalsthattheyweregoodandempatheticrulerswhowerewillingtoreachoutahelpinghandforthelocals,thusbeingabletowinloyaltyfromthepeopleinSingapore. 3.ImposingJapanesecultureTheJapanesesoughttowinloyaltybyimmersingthelocalsinthetraditionsofJapan.Forexample,theJapanesepromotedtheirculturethroughtheteachingoftheJapaneselanguage,alternativelyknownasNippon-go.StudentsweretaughttospeakandwriteinJapaneseinplaceofEnglish.Theselessonswereconducteddailyovertheschools’broadcastingservices.TohelpstudentslearntheJapaneselanguage,JapaneseeducationauthoritiespublishedaseriesofNippon-goreadersforbeginners.ThebookswerefullofpraiseforthebeautyandgreatnessofJapan.TheintroductionoftheJapaneselanguagewenthandinhandwiththepromotionoftheJapanesespirittofosterasenseofloyaltyandidentity.Duringmorningassemblyinschools,studentshadtosing“Kimigayo”,theJapanesenationalanthem,andbowbeforethepictureoftheJapaneseEmperorbeforethedaybegan.TheywerealsotaughttosingJapanesefolksongs.ThiswouldthenmakethepeopleinSingaporehaveastrongersenseofconnectionwiththeJapanese,thusallowingtheJapanesetobeabletowinloyaltyfromthepeopleinSingapore. 4Telegram: https://t.me/zivstoryNot for further saleandcirculation.

zistory! WhatweretheimpactsoftheJapaneseOccupationonSingapore?1.ResourceshortageOneproblemfacedwastheshortageoffoodandessentialitems.AfterthefirstfewweeksoftheJapaneseOccupation,essentialfooditemssuchasrice,saltandsugarwerestrictlyrationed.Thelocalswerelimitedtoafixedquantityofessentialitemsthattheycouldobtainusingrationcoupons.Theshortageofitemsdrovepricesupasshopsdidnothaveenoughgoodstocatertotheneedsofthepeople.Thepricesofessentialgoodsincreasedrapidlyovertime,causingdrasticinflation.Asaresult,theblackmarketflourished.Peoplehadtopayextremelyhighpricesforbasicnecessities.TheJapanesegovernmentrespondedbyprintingmoremoney,resultinginmassivedropsinthevalueofthebanananotes.BytheendoftheJapaneseOccupation,thesenoteshadessentiallybecomeworthless.Thelocalsdidnothaveaccesstobasicnecessitieswhichtheyrequire,hencenegativelyimpactingtheirdailylives. 2.DiseaseanddeathHealthcareandsanitationwasanotherproblemthatpeoplefaced.Between1945and1945,130,000deathswereofficiallyrecorded.Thiswasmorethandoublethenumberbetween1937and1940.Theprimarycausesofdeathwereberi-beri,pneumoniaanddysentery. ThiswasduetothepoorlivingconditionsthattheJapaneseofferedthepeople.Also,theJapaneseharshlytreatedthemandmadethemworkashardlaboursuchasintheDeathRailway, thusdiseaseanddeathwasonemajorproblemthepeoplehadtoface. 3.RelocationRelocationwasanotherproblemthat