Japanese Occupation Notes

JAPANESE OCCUPATION

Source-Based Question Practice

  • Source A describes life in Singapore before the Japanese invasion of 1942.
  • People's attitude: They felt the war in Europe had little effect on them; social and club life continued normally.
  • Food and clothing were plentiful.
  • There was no need for blackouts or curfews, and air raid precautions were not taken seriously.
  • Singapore was considered an impregnable fortress.
  • There was a belief that the Japanese would not be able to defeat a Western power.

SINGAPORE AS SYONAN-TO

  • Koke no musu made: Lush with moss

Stories of War

  • Hirodonoda and Teruo Nakamura's wartime experiences.

Main Inquiry Question

  • How did the Japanese Occupation affect the lives of the people in Singapore?
  • What was the Occupation about?
  • What were the lives of the people like?

Military Leader's Perspective

  • What changes would a military leader make when taking over an enemy’s land?

POLITICAL CONTROL

Japanese Military Administration
  • The occupied territories were ruled by the Japanese Military Administration.
  • Headquarters were located at the Fullerton Building in Singapore.
  • Objectives:
    • Maintain law and order
    • Secure resources
    • Support provision for needs of local troops
    • Establish local self-sufficiency
Syonan Tokubetsui (Syonan Special Municipality)
  • Located in the Municipal Building at City Hall
  • Departments:
    • General Affairs Bureau (Finance etc.)
    • Economic Bureau (Agriculture, Commerce)
    • Welfare of People Bureau (Education, Health, Housing)
    • Undertaking Bureau (Infrastructure)
    • Police Bureau (Crime, Safety, Propaganda)

MANAGING POWS

Prisoners-of-War (P.O.W.s)
  • All Europeans and Australians in Singapore were treated as POWs and housed in various camps.
  • In Selarang, 40,000 men were housed in premises built for 4,000, leading to overcrowding, disease, malnutrition, and random acts of sadism.
  • Some POWs were sent to build the Death Railway/Thai-Burma Railway.
  • The Death Railway was built in 16 months instead of the projected 5 years.
  • More than 100,000 died in its construction.

The Death Railway

  • Hard labor at Kanchanaburi, Thailand, for the building of the Death Railway.
  • Singapore was renamed Syonan-to, meaning "Southern island gained in the age of Showa".
  • The Japanese Occupation lasted from 1942 to 1945.
  • The Japanese imprisoned all Europeans found in Singapore to eliminate potential resistance leaders.
Statistics of the Dead POW's
  • Out of 90,000 Allied P.O.Ws, 16,000 died.
  • Out of 180,000 Asian labourers, 60,000 died.
  • Breakdown of Allied POW deaths:
    • 356 Americans
    • 2815 Australians
    • 2490 Dutch
    • 6318 British Personnel

The Beginning of a Nightmare

  • The Japanese initiated a new international order to free Asia from Western domination and for Asia to enjoy peace and prosperity.

SOCIAL CONTROL

Social Control as the “Velvet Glove”
  • Propaganda and indoctrination to influence minds.
  • Censorship of the press (newspapers, radio, films).
  • ‘Nipponisation’—promotion of Japanese culture & values.
  • Renamed Syonan-to (“Light of the South”).
  • English names replaced by Japanese ones.
  • Japanese language classes organised.
  • Cult of the Emperor promoted.
  • Education system changes:
    • Aim was to create loyalty to Japan.
    • Rejected British emphasis on academic subjects.
    • Favored character building, physical education, and vocational education.
Cultural Changes
  • Removal of Western influence.
  • Promotion of the Japanese spirit.
  • Students required to face Japan and sing the Japanese national anthem every morning.
  • Daily Japanese lessons.
  • Control of radio broadcasts and movies.
Eradication of Western influence
  • Accompanied by a policy of Japanisation through mass media, education, and other activities.
  • Movies dramatizing Britain's defeat such as "The Invasion of Singapore" and "The Union Jack is Down" were regularly shown.
Syonan Sinbun
  • News Paper
  • Nippon-Go Lessons
  • The school was not the only place where the Japanese language was taught. People were encouraged to learn it at their work-place, over the radio, and from papers and magazines.
Sakura (Cherry Blossoms)
  • A Japanese newspaper published for children discusses the Emperor’s birthday and significance.
Radio Taiso
  • Communal exercises done in synchrony with radio broadcasts.
New Names
  • Original names of places replaced with Japanese names.
    • Middleton Hospital - Densen Byoin
Social Control as “the Iron Fist”
  • The main aim of the Japanese was to establish control and suppress any resistance.
  • The Chinese were singled out as a particular threat, due to their anti-Japanese sentiments and support for China.
Singapore Anti-Japanese Movement
  • Most overseas Chinese in Singapore remained loyal to China.
  • Showed anti-Japanese feelings by boycotting Japanese goods and refusing to shop at Japanese shops.
  • Made generous contributions to support China’s war efforts through the China Relief Fund Committees.
  • Organised anti-Japanese demonstrations.
  • Some Chinese volunteered to serve in China.
Kempeitai
  • The Kempeitai was the military police of the Imperial Japanese Army.
  • Informers all over the island supplied information about anti-Japanese elements.
  • Brutal torture of suspects at Kempeitai buildings.
  • They permeated an atmosphere of fear and often employed use of fear and torture to maintain law and order.

SOOK CHING

Meaning of Sook Ching
  • Sook Ching = Purge through screening
  • Official aim was to root out anti-Japanese elements in Singapore
  • All Chinese between the ages of 18-50 were told to report to specific checkpoints where they were screened.
  • Screening process to identify anti-Japanese elements.
  • Those identified as dangerous were detained or killed.
  • Number of people killed ranged between 6,000-50,000.
Key Japanese Officers
  • Two prominent Japanese officers heavily involved in Sook Ching:
    • Masaji Watanabe – Mastermind and organiser of Sook Ching. He believed the local Chinese population deserved to be punished en-masse.
    • Tomoyuki Yamashita – Oversaw the Eastern half of Singapore, where the killings from Sook Ching took place, bearing responsibility and involvement.
Sook Ching – Pre-mediated?
  • The purge was planned before Japanese troops landed in Singapore.
  • The 25th Army had a plan entitled "Implementation Guideline for Manipulating Overseas Chinese" drawn up around 28 December 1941.
  • The guideline stated that anyone who failed to obey or co-operate with the occupation authorities should be eliminated.
  • Army headquarters decided on a harsh policy toward the Chinese population of Singapore and Malaya from the beginning of the war.
Sook Ching – Target List
  • Teachers
  • Journalists
  • Former British employees
  • Dalforce/Singapore Volunteer Unit Members
  • Communists
  • Active anti-Japanese supporters
Known Massacre Sites
  • List of massacre sites: Ponggol Beach, Changi Beach/Changi Spit Beach, and others.
Mass Screening Centers
  • List of mass screening centers: North Bridge Road, Chinatown, and others.
Methods of Screening
  • Through interviews
  • Dialect
  • Tattoos
  • Glasses
  • Clothing
  • Signature
  • Looks
  • Use of Informants
Sook Ching – Oral History Account
  • People who described their jobs as unimportant were let off, while those who revealed significant work were detained.
Sook Ching Survivor Accounts
  • Accounts of survivors like Yap Yan Hong, who escaped by swimming away when fired upon.
  • Stories of luck or divine intervention in escaping the Sook Ching massacre.
Escape from Sook Ching Massacre
  • Individuals asked for permission to return to the cubicle to collect belongings and stayed there for a day and a half before trying the same exit again.
  • This time they received a ‘chop’ on their left upper arm and on the front of their shirt – “Jian” character was proofed that they were cleared.
Social Control – Divide & Rule
  • Chinese were treated the most harshly (Sook Ching).
  • $50 million forced contribution through the Overseas Chinese Association.
  • Tried to win the support of the Malays and convince them that Japan was there to free them from British rule.
  • Wanted Indians to join the Indian National Army (INA) to liberate India.
  • Eurasians also regarded as suspect because of their employment under the British.
Political: Treatment of the different races
  • Chinese: Seen as a threat, subjected to Sook Ching Massacre.
  • Indians: Aimed to win support for Indian independence pursuit, not seen as a threat.
  • Malays: Aimed to win support, convince them of freedom from British rule.
  • Eurasians: Seen as a threat due to ties with the British, faced imprisonment or death.
Preferential Treatment?
  • Accounts suggest friendlier interactions between Japanese soldiers and Indians compared to Chinese civilians.
Impact
  • Political awakening: Locals were more involved in the Japanese administration, leading to many nationalist movements in the post-war period.

ECONOMIC CONTROL

Economic Conditions
  • All shops to reopen and public utilities repaired.
  • Shops taken over by Japanese companies, and a permit system was implemented.
  • The market was essentially controlled by the Japanese.
  • Food shortages due to:
    • Shortage of fuel.
    • Few ships brought foodstuff to Singapore.
    • Allied ships not allowed to trade in Singapore.
    • Food kept for the Japanese army.
Food Rationing
  • Food rationing due to the scarcity of essential foodstuff.
Food Control
  • Rationing system: essential foodstuffs controlled (rice, salt, sugar).
  • From April 1942, Syonan residents had to purchase their food supplies in rationed amounts using the certificate of identity issued to them.
  • “Grow more food” campaign: encouraged people to plant their own food to make Singapore self-sufficient (tapioca, sweet potato, yam).
  • Malnutrition and starvation.
Rationing Experiences
  • Residents would queue for hours for rations.
  • Quality of rations depended on the distributors.
  • Those working with the Japanese got the best supplies.
Economic impact
  • Rampant black market activities.
  • Illegal buying and selling of goods at very high prices.
  • Banana money: authorities printed more money which led to its devaluation and hyperinflation.
Banana Money
  • First introduced on 23rd February 1942.
  • Original worth was roughly equivalent to the value of the defunct Straits Dollars.
  • Economic conditions deteriorated, massive amount of money was printed.
  • The worth of banana money became worthless over time.
Hyperinflation
  • One kati (604.8 grams) of pork cost 400¥One\ kati\ (604.8\ grams)\ of\ pork\ cost\ 400¥ and onions cost 225¥225¥ towards the end of the Japanese occupation.
Alternatives
  • People turned to barter trade to cope with hyperinflation.
Controlled Prices
  • Rocketing inflation in the black market.
Impact
  • Positive Impacts:
    • Highlighted the importance of self-sufficiency.
    • Encouraged creativity and resourcefulness.
    • Helped each other during hardship.
  • Negative Impacts:\n * Life of hardship: People had to take on second jobs to make ends meet.
    • Black Market: essential goods sold at high prices.
    • Inflation: Printing of money  forgeries etc led to the value of money dropping & thus the soaring prices of goods (Banana money).
    • Poverty & Malnutrition as a result.
    • Spread of diseases due to lack of medicine and proper healthcare facilities.

Resistance Movements

Anti-Japanese Sentiments
  • MPAJA (Malayan People’s Anti-Japanese Army) fought against the Japanese in Malayan jungles performing acts of sabotage.
  • Force 136: Lim Bo Seng, a Singaporean businessman, was arrested in 1944.
MPAJA
  • Hid in the Malayan jungles and carried out attacks on Japanese soldiers.
  • Tried to stir up anti-Japanese feelings among the people by distributing newspapers and organizing gatherings.
  • Majority Chinese recruits.
Force 136
  • Secret organization set up by the British to gather information about the Japanese and organize sabotage activities.
  • Trained in India and sent secretly into Malaya to help the MPAJA.
  • Lim Bo Seng was one of its leaders.
Elizabeth Choy
  • Imprisoned in a tiny cell with other prisoners.
  • Subject to brutal beatings, electric shock, water torture, starvation diet.
Collaborators
  • There were some who collaborated with the Japanese to survive.
  • Some worked with the Japanese but secretly tried to help the locals.
  • Others went undercover for the Japanese.
  • Difficult for those who helped the Japanese after the war.
Lai Teck
  • Double agent, worked for multiple sides.
Occupation ambiguities
  • Some individuals, like Shinozaki Mamoru, aimed to protect the Chinese community while cooperating with the Japanese.

The Beginning of the End

Early Setbacks
  • Battle of Coral Sea
  • First Japanese setback
  • Battle of Midway
  • Turning point
  • 1944: Re-invasion of the Philippines
  • Kamikaze pilots
  • Mar 1945: Battle of Iwo Jima and Okinawa
Impact on Singapore
  • Late 1944 - Allied bombers and planes could be seen flying above Singapore.
  • Air of uncertainty and anticipation.
  • Japanese conscripted local civilians.
  • Ordered POWs to construct defenses.
  • POWs feared being slaughtered if the British attacked.
  • Rumours went around that those suspected of being sympathetic towards the British were marked to be murdered.
  • All believed that the Japanese would fight till the last man.

Atomic Bomb

Hiroshima & Nagasaki
  • 6th August 1945
  • American Bomber ‘Enola Gay” flew over Hiroshima and dropped the atomic bomb, “Little Boy” at 8:15a.m.