Chapter 6:
What Did the People in Singapore Experience During the Japanese Occupation?

Why did Japan invade Singapore?

The invasion of Singapore was part of a larger campaign that Japan was fighting. Watch the short clip below to understand some of the reasons why they invaded Singapore.

Why did Japan invade Singapore CNA video.mp4

This map shows the Japanese invasion of British Malaya, which included Singapore (at the bottom).

You may watch a more detailed one here.

In this chapter you will learn:

- - What the people in Singapore experienced during the Japanese Occupation
  - What problems the people faced immediately after the Japanese surrender.

Oral Accounts of the Japanese Invasion and Occupation

An account by 82-year-old Maswood

“One day, I brought back two hand grenades. I didn’t know they were explosives, I assumed they were toys.” His father yelled at him upon his shocking discovery. Till this day, 82-year-old Maswood remembers vivid details about the Japanese Occupation.

An account by Ethelin Teo

Ethelin Teo avoided being taken as a comfort woman during the Japanese Occupation of Malaya by disguising as a boy. She tells of her harrowing experience during the occupation.

Oral Interview with Ismail bin Zain

"The rice ration we get from our shop was hardly sufficient for our requirement… We chopped the tapioca into small pieces, combined it with the rice and used it as rice… We all were thin, skinny, sickly… Very hard life. I tell you honestly, not worth living during Japanese time. Better to die than to live."

Listen to the audio clip here:

Oral interview about rice rations JO.mp3

Courtesy of National Archives of Singapore

Artefacts from the Japanese Occupation

Overseas Chinese Certification of Registration, 1942

Chinese males were ordered to report to screening centres for a mass screening or sook ching (肃清). Those who received a stamp were allowed to leave. Read about Sook Ching here.

Courtesy of National Archives of Singapore

Propaganda Flyer Celebrating the Emperor's Birthday

The locals are depicted celebrating in front of the red sun of Japan's flag.

Courtesy of NLB / National Archives of Singapore

Lesson on Conversational Japanese in the Newspaper, 1943

The teaching of Japanese in schools was made compulsory in 1942. Teachers had to undergo Japanese language instruction and were banned from using the English language in schools.

Courtesy of Academy of Singapore Teachers

What was something interesting you learned about people's experience during the Japanese Occupation? Respond at the Padlet under the appropriate shelf and question.

Problems Immediately After the Japanese Surrender

After the Japanese surrender, the British Military Administration (BMA) quickly took over. This was made up of professional soldiers and former European civil servants. However they faced a host of problems.

Chapter 6:What Did the People in Singapore Experience During the Japanese Occupation?