AMKSS Chpt 7 (sec 2 hist)

A NG M O K IO S ECONDARY S CHOOL S ECONDARY 2 H ISTORY C HAPTER 7 – L IFE IN S INGAPORE AFTER THE J APANESE O CCUPATION (1945-1959) Name: _____________________________ ( ) Class: _______ Date: __________ By the end of this chapter, you should know: □ How did the British deal with post-war problems in Singapore □ How did external developments in the post-war period affect Singapore □ How did the locals respond to British rule in the post-war period □ How Singapore eventually attained full internal self-government in 1959 Introduction/Background • After the heavy casualties and damage from the atomic bombs, Japan officially surrendered to the Allies on 2 September 1945, marking the end of World War II (WWII). • From 5 September 1945 to 31 March 1946, Singapore and Malaya came under the rule of the British Military Administration (BMA). Life & Experiences after World War II in | Post-War Singapore | After the Japanese surrendered, many welcomed the return of the British. There was hope that Singapore would return to prosperity and stability under the British. The British set up a provisional government known as the British Military Administration (BMA) to improve the situation in Singapore between 5 September 1945 to 31 March 1946, before it would be returned to civilian rule. However, there were mixed reactions towards the British rule as the British were not entirely successful in meeting the peoples’ demands. W HAT PROBLEMS / ISSUES DID THE PEOPLE FACE ? [S TATE + D ESCRIBE ] W HAT DID THE B RITISH DO TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE ? [S TATE + D ESCRIBE ]

People in Singapore continued to experience food shortages after the Japanese surrendered • Rice-producing countries like Thailand could not produce enough rice to sell • Rice could hardly enter Singapore as the harbour was blocked by the sunken merchant ships • Few warehouses available for rice to be stored and stocked up • People suffered from malnutrition The British Military Administration made efforts to address the food shortages: • Harbours were cleared to allow ships to enter the port • Prices of essential food supplies such as vegetables, fresh fish, salt and sugar were controlled o However, Black Markets continued to thrive • Free meals given to children below six Page |1 W HAT PROBLEMS / ISSUES DID THE PEOPLE FACE ? [S TATE + D ESCRIBE ] W HAT DID THE B RITISH DO TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE ? [S TATE + D ESCRIBE ] • People’s Restaurant and People’s canteen was set up to provide food at affordable prices o There were 10 People’s Restaurant by the end of 1946 People in Singapore experienced economic hardship after the Japanese surrendered • Banana notes used during the Japanese Occupation was no longer accepted • Those who did not keep Straits dollars from before the war had no money • There were insufficient jobs as many companies had closed down The British Military Administration made efforts to reduce the economic hardships: • Special grants were issued to help the people who did not have enough money o However, many were still unhappy with the BMA as the grants were often not enough for large families • Ports were repaired to allow Singapore to re-establish its status as an important trading centre o Volume of trade increased to even higher than pre-war levels, due to an increase in global demand for tin and rubber o Jobs were created for the people

People in Singapore experienced schooling disruptions after the Japanese surrendered • War had disrupted schooling for many o Some did not attend school during the Japanese Occupation o Learning materials like textbooks and blackboards were destroyed • Needy families could not afford to send their children to schools The British Military Administration made efforts to manage the schooling problems: • Schools were reopened for children of schooling age, and those who were overaged but received little education during the Japanese Occupation • Grants and fee waivers were given to children from needy families People in Singapore experienced housing shortages after the Japanese surrendered • Singapore’s population grew rapidly due to the post-war baby boom o Singapore had one of the highest birth rates in 1940s and 1950s • War had destroyed many housing spaces in Singapore • People had to live in increasingly overcrowded spaces such as slums The British made efforts to manage the housing shortage: • Singapore Improvement Trust (SIT) accelerated its building program to build low-cost housing for the locals o SIT was established in 1927, but its efforts to build and provide low cost housing was disrupted by war o From 1947 to 1959, SIT built about 1742 houses per year, but the population required about 10,000 new units each year Page |2 W HAT PROBLEMS / ISSUES DID THE PEOPLE FACE ? [S TATE + D ESCRIBE ] W HAT DID THE B RITISH DO TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE ? [S TATE + D ESCRIBE ] ▪ Many continued to live in cramped conditions

People in Singapore had unsatisfactory working conditions and took part in industrial unrest in post-war Singapore • Workers went on strikes to demand for immediate changes and improvement to their working conditions o 1947 was known as “The Year of Strikes” as there were over 300 strikes in Singapore that year, involving almost 70,000 workers o Many workers who participated in the strikes were members of the trade unions The British made efforts to manage the industrial unrest: • Laws were passed to control trade unions as British suspected that the communists were inciting anti-colonial feelings and instigating the strikes o From 1947, trade unions had to be registered with the government ▪ Government could monitor their membership and clamp down on communist threat o Trade unions no longer allowed to use funds to organise strikes and protests against government ▪ Trade unions continued to be active ▪ Strikes and industrial unrests continued in the 1950s People in Singapore wanted more political rights in post-war Singapore • Locals wanted to be in control of their own fate and felt that they should have more say in the country’s matters • They were also influenced by the global wave of decolonisation and wanted independence from colonial rule The British made efforts to allow more local political control: • The British embarked on a process of political tutelage to prepare Singapore for self-government and independence o In 1948, people were given rights to vote for locals to represent them in the gover