While her stories did not mention anything about collaboration, it made me interested in the Japanese Occupation since young. All of them just wanted to earn lots of money and go back to their homeland such as the Gandhi and the movement for independence for India and Sun Yat Sen and the Chinese Revolutionary movement.… Fortunately for us, we had land to spare to do just that as well as keep ducks and chicken, thus ensuring fresh eggs and meat on the table. Is it because they have to spend hard earned money which they need for food? This story has been placed in the following categories. But mostly it was fun reading this The Japanese Occupation from February 1942 to September 1945 was one of the hardest times in Singapore history. Didn't our bread weigh a ton! In Syonan, they focused on teaching of the Japanese language and cultures. (taken in year 1971). The BBC is not responsible for the content of any external sites Only their school life became more tough as they had to learn another language, the Japanese language, which was completely new to all … I remember one surprise early morning round-up of our family and other families and being hustled to the local padang (public playing field) to wait indefinitely for something, no doubt unpleasant, to happen. It was written that the Malays had a set of jobs while the Indians had a different set of jobs however in the evidence the set of jobs were the same! The conclusion also seemed a bit rushed Before the complete takeover by the Japanese, our family decided to seek a temporary haven safer than our suburban residence. Reopened cinemas showed only Japanese films. One month later, in March 1942, the Japanese government adopted an educational policy as part of the “Principles for the Gunsei Disposition of the Occupied Area”. Which talks to me about the effect of the Japanese occupation of the teenagers. At long last we discovered the reason for the round-up, when some Japanese led out men wearing hoods. Children were sent out to peddle their mothers' baking and cooking. Most of the content on this site is created by our users, who are members of the However, in the perspective of jobs, they did not change much as they continued working as fishermen and so on. For the young Singaporean today, the … I recall one good thing the Japanese did, the profiling of classical music. public. ''the awesome T Dog'' first thing is that u are obsessed with exclamation marks which is stupid and second is that we already knew that because many people just posted that so ya............, i can't beleive that the japanese changed the lives if the civilians so much.the info could be elaborated a bit more :), i think that the info was really useful for my historical investigation but if there were elaboration it will be much better but overall thanks, quite ok but wikipedia is not very trustable, we are Ka Mun, Su Chan, Heyswar and Cairel from GROUP 7 of class 2I2, This class photo was taken in the years after the Japanese Occupation. Firstly, before the Japanese Occupation in the 1930s , the people of Singapore had their own currency to represent their country , but during the Japanese Occupation , they were all being forced by the Japanese government to use the Japanese currency know as 'banana notes' as … Japanese military forces occupied it after defeating the combined British, Indian, Australian, and Malayan garrison in the Battle of Singapore. This source shows a photo of the fishermen during the Japanese Occupation. The comparatively light bombing of Penang resulted in some civilian casualties. Singapore Heritage Trails History since the time Stamford Raffles set foot on Temasek 180 years ago. The cable car had stopped running because there was no electricity to work it, so we perforce had to trek down hurriedly via the railway steps. They encouraged our youths to take an interest in it by holding numerous music competitions and putting any promising musical talent on the air. Great changes lay ahead in the days of enemy occupation between 1941 and 1945. This source shows the housing in Clark Quay before the Japanese Occupation. Other "less fortunate" souls, with dwindling resources, resorted to brokering - selling for commission other people's possessions or even their own. By the end of July 1945, the Imperial Japanese Navy was incapable of conducting operations and an Allied invasion of Japan was imminent. The Koreans were deprived of freedom of assembly, association, the press, and speech. During the Japanese Occupation, it was renamed to the Tai Hwa Opera House, and was used to show Japanese propaganda, promoting themselves to the locals who watched the movies there. History - chapter 5 ( did the japanese occupation changed the way people view Singapore ?) Another change which took place during the Japanese Occupation was the currency of our money. This page has been archived and is no longer updated. Singapore was renamed as ‘Syonan-to’ Light of the South 12. 20 Malay schools re-opened on 12 April and four days later, 10 Indian schools started class. Personal response Education -Before Japanese Occupation, people used the currency provided by the British government. Interactive site that recreates events during the Japanese Occupation between 1942 and 1945. Different people had different views towards Singapore. Affordable cooking oil was the foul-tasting palm oil, as coconut and groundnut oils became precious commodities to be used sparingly. For example how the people having to repair their houses would cost time and money and how the damaged buildings could have had a toll on their health It was an identification parade. The Malayans were treated appallingly terribly. Certain town centre dwellers seemed to think otherwise and set up camp in our grounds. It's just suggestions for improvement and points to note for P: Lives of teenagers changed tremendously before and during the Japanese Occupation. Other than that it would just be mistakes such as in the occupations section During the Japanese Occupation, the Japanese is carrying out propaganda in their education to reshape the hearts and minds of the students, immersing them in the new Japanese culture and system in schools to acquire the Japanese spirit, being discipline, and faithfulness and loyalty to the Japanese Emperor, so that they would not change their minds or be influenced by other cultures. We bulked our precious rice ration by throwing home-grown sweet potatoes along with the rice into the cooking pot. ASPECT: SECURITY People were tied to trees (Mostly the chinese) Schools were reopened and students had to learn Japanese. Japan is experiencing a great era, but problems are still ongoing. Amusement parks, Penang had three, reopened as licensed gambling parks with young and old running the gambling stalls or gamling themselves. Wheat flour gradually disappeared, so bakers were reduced to using other available cereal flour such as ragi. Before the Japanese occupation, there were many immigrants who came to Singapore. A disadvantage about these notes is that these notes are unlimited. It was compulsory to include in our repertoire one or two Japanese pieces. From his … Surrender of Japan The surrender of the Empire of Japan on September 2, 1945, brought the hostilities of World War II to a close. Fear, I was sure, struck innocent and not-so-innocent hearts alike. National Heritage Board of Singapore Site about the cultural heritage of the Lion City. This source shows a photo of an one dollar banana note, used during the Japanese Occupation, years 1942 to 1945. the return of the british ... had to face life under the rule of the new Japanese leaders . 9. I totally agree with you!!!! Find out how you can use this. There were in the early occupation days, horrific tales of Japanese cruelty, of rape, which threw all families with womenfolk, and especially with young girls, into a panic. In lieu of rent, we became the recipient of each day's leftover cooked rice that the staff did not manage to eat up. My family stayed at "The Rockies" until word reached us that the Japs were heading for Penang Hill. We use your LinkedIn profile and activity data to personalize ads and to show you more relevant ads. referenced. Prostitutes and mistresses flaunted their improved "social" status as the kept women of important Japanese men. It was useful but if you elaborated further and specifically in some of the sources, thing would have gotten easier,though! All learnt to "see nothing, hear nothing, say nothing" in case of betrayal. Singapore History This source shows a photo of an one dollar Straits Settlements' note, used between the years 1826 to 1942, before the Japanese Occupation. Grandpa and his second family of wife, three sons and amah landed on relatives living in a rural retreat called Jelutong, where water was drawn from wells. I remember the excitement generated by the possiblity of war reaching Penang, the siren, the blackout, the enemy planes passing overhead. It was interesting and fun to read this !so true!!!!! Conclusion: Life will not be the same anymore for the students as they have to learn a new language and communicate with each other in Japanese. Korea - Korea - Korea under Japanese rule: Japan set up a government in Korea with the governor-generalship filled by generals or admirals appointed by the Japanese emperor. I do not know what actually happened to the arrested - imprisonment, torture, death or, by some miralce, release. In no time at all, there were makeshrift food and drinks stalls doing a brisk business in the baking hot sun. Life of the people in Singapore during the Japanese Occupation Political Economic Social 10. Her stories not only included her times when she was a servant for a British family living in Singapore from the 1950s till the late 1960s, it also included how life was like during the Japanese Occupation. And how does having to repair the building make it tough? In one dogfight, my younger brother swore that there were 27 Jap planes and about two R.A.F. We had left Ah Beng, our cook, and Beauty, our dog, as guardians of our family residence in our absence. How did the Occupation change the lives of people in Singapore? The occupation was to become a major turning point in the histories of several nations, including those of Japan, Britain, and Singapore. People were encouraged to grow their own fruit and vegetables. The Japanese occupation of Singapore took place from 1942 to 1945 after the British surrendered in February 1942. -by a random person on the internet, Great story by u guys i hope u guys will do more. OMG!!!!!!!! The currency changed drastically from Singapore Dollars to Japanese ' banana notes '. Some students were also forced to quit their schools and join newly erected Japanese ones. We womenfolk reacted by rushing out of the house and down a dirt lane by the side of our house to a temporary refuge spot until the danger, if any, had passed. What does it show about the situation in pre-Jap Occupation and/or during Japanese Occupation This talks about the emotional and psychological scars inflicted upon these young girls. On one occasion, rumour reached us that the Japanese were conducting a house-to-house search. The departure of the Japanese from Penang in 1945 marked the end of long school-less days for us young ones, alas, and a return to an interrupted normal school education. This source shows the housing during the Japanese Occupation. Legitimate currency went undeground, when our Japanese masters decreed it illegal tender and flooded our island with "banana" notes , bringing in their wake inflation and the black market. I had a regular slot alongside my two cousins (a brother and sister) and together we presented a half-hour mixed programme of solos and duets in both the violin and the piano. The Japanese language was taught in many ways. The Singa How the island was named. Like what do you mean by though? The entrepreneurs among us saw their opportunity to earn some dollars. Penang Hill is 2722 feet high. This comment is not per say criticism The currency used was also changed from the Straits Settlements' notes to the banana notes by the Japanese. Especially the Chinese part of the population was almost like how the Germans treated Jews in Europe. Housing too became worn out because of the Japanese's bombings. Today (Feb 15) is the 75th anniversary of the fall of Singapore. E: As seen from source A, there were entertainments like theatres and theme park for the teenagers, while source B shows that there were no form of entertainment for the teenagers as they were living in … Sadly, it seems to me that Japanese people also are very Westernized because they accept this movement as a trend or part of Japanese culture. We were paid with exercise books, pencils, pens and erasers! For any other comments, please Contact Us. No, they still had education but they had to learn Japanese and speak in Japanese even if their race is not Japanese. Treatment of the Japanese Politics Before the Japanese Did the Japanese Occupation bring changes to the lives of the people in Singapore? The sources show that there is a huge change in the lives of the people before and during the Japanese Occupation. Before the occupation, education wasn't very popular and many teenagers decided to work the moment they were fit to do so. A chronicler of the Japanese Occupation, Lee Geok Boi (above) has launched the second edition of her 1992 book, Syonan, to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the fall of Singapore. There was no change in the life of the people in Singapore before and during the Japanese Occupation. However, there was so much more your group could have elaborated on! It would have made it clearer and more defined to also include what you meant by 'making the life of people in Singapore tough' Following the British surrender, the Japanese military police, kempeitai, were sent to restore order in Singapore. It is called banana notes as there is a picture of a banana tree at every single piece of notes. The education was largely changed as different races used to study in their own mother tongues, and during the Japanese Occupation, they studied in Japanese, which gives them no freedom of language. The Japs landed in Kota Bahru on the east coast to no resistance as the British look-out posts were sited elsewhere. ones and one was shot down. Schools reopened only to teach the Japanese language and it was compulsory for all males to attend. © Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. The views expressed are theirs and unless specifically stated are not I suppose the adult performers received suitable adult gifts. Political Impact 11. - During the Japanese Occupation, when the Japanese ruled Singapore, they used Japanese currency. Create your own unique website with customizable templates. " Asking yourself questions and adding them to your answers make them so much clearer! The spacious hall of our family home was elevated to the rank of the Daimaru Department Store with its staff recruited wholesale from the peacetime lending department store, "Whiteaways", in Bishop Street. The American government believed that establishing democracy in Japan involved change in all areas of Japanese life. It did not affect the lives of the Singaporeans but the school lives. This is one of the social issues I believe Japan should reconsider. People's views towards Singapore after the japanese occupation . During the Japanese Occupation, however, vernacular schools were the first to re-open which started with the primary schools in 1942. ", hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahhahahahajiBcpiuwhfgpioliwjebfooqu344ytos4yegt2p-8753gt-p0287qy34r0872t3gt9r8fyg293i7ryrtf9283yrgt9837grr98u2eohuhedgo8uh309yt2098uerht02uehrgouhewrg0ow0err8g9o, iewuegoqgwueefo8quweor8uqg9ee8yrg9qyweroqugywero8quweif8suqdgfoqiwuuegfoqugwyeof76, ,JHdbvvljeabfaddkhbsadasJJIJjkjjkhvihiuhihuikh. Which affected them at a tender age of 13-18. Top photo is an image taken at the Syonan Gallery and includes a quote from a survivor of the Japanese Occupation. My alma mater converted to a post office and the Convent School became the HQ of the Japanese police force called Kempeitai. However, the Japanese occupation made education highly sought after, if not compulsory. The Japanese Occupation of Singapore is a time from 1942-1945 (during World War II) where the Japanese occupied Singapore.Japan attacked because Singapore was an important naval base for controlling other areas. When the Japanese military took control of the island, they had plans to … Inference: In the event that you consider anything on this page to be in breach of the site's House Rules, please click here. As time went by, the quality of consumer goods, if still available, deteriorated unless one was prepared to pay black market prices. those of the BBC. During the occupation, Japan took over Korea’s labor and land. :). Many private schools were closed because they did not meet certain arbitrary standards. Still others found paid jobs. Great changes lay ahead in the days of enemy occupation between 1941 and 1945. My widowed mother with us three children, an uncle and our amah took the cable car up Penang Hill to a relative's holiday home called "The Rockies". Under MacArthur and with the cooperation of the Japanese, Japan undertook tremendous changes in just seven short years — the Occupation lasted from 1945 to 1952. The occupation was to be a nominally Allied enterprise, but increasing Cold War division left Japan firmly in the American sphere of influence. The occupation started after the army of Japan defeated garrison troops from Australia, British Malaya, Britain, and India.This was at the Battle of Singapore. The changes in people's lives before and during the Japanese Occupation was extensive. This story was submitted to the People’s War site by Elizabeth Perez of Stockport Libraries on behalf of Cheng Bee Parker and has been added to the site with her permission. Sunday, 8 February 2015. Some places, however, were not so “lucky” and were shut down, and … WW2 survivor, Mr Tan Hwee Hock, 87, recalls the life under the Japanese Occupation. As rationing was in force by this time, it was a very welcome addition to our rice ration. Nippon Seishin The Japanese promoted this Japanese spirit in order to remove any Western influence. She fully understands the site’s terms and conditions. It has become popular and spread around Japan, just as McDonald’s has. It would be better if you could further elaborate it. A further benefit to us as enforced landlord was an extra ration of a whole sack of rice. You can change your ad preferences anytime. Several hundred thousands of Malayan civilian Chinese were brutally tortured and killed. 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