Did Life return to normal after the Japaese surrendered?

Life wasn't normal after the attack . The British set up a provisional goverment called the British Military Administration (BMA) which took charge of governing Singapore until 1 April 1946. It faced difficult task of rebuilding the country and mainting law and order. The people facd many problems in post-war Singapore such as overcrowded living conditions , poor sanitations ,lack of health services and umemployment.However,the more serious problems were the shortage of food and lack of housing. 

There were also shortage of water and electricity,and disruption of telephone services. Streets were filthy,unlit and unsafe particularly at night. Japanese POWs were put to work to restore electricity, gas and other essential services,and repair the water mains.

 

To solve food shortage, the British had to clear the harbour first so that ships transporting foodstuffs could enter the port.They removed the shipwrecks and mines tthat had been laid in the sea by the Japanese. The docks were repaired and new warehouses were constructed to store commodities that were brought into the port. 

 

^{It was hard on us as we do not have water and electricity even if there is water, the water would be brown in colour.Japanese soldier would come in to our house and help us fixed the electricity and other stuff although my father is still angry at them.}

Sources :CPDD Ministry Of Education. (2007). Singapore From Settlement To Nation Pre 1819 To 1971. Singapore. Marshall Cavendish Education.

How did World War 2 Affect Singapore

<sup>- " Main fleet to Singapore" strategy
- Installation of 15-inch guns facing the sea
- Building of military airfields and underground bunkers
- Building of the Naval Base in Sembawang.
- Good Japanese Preparation
- Japanese superioty in battle strategy, armed forces and leadership
- British priory to war in Europe
- The people of Singapore were led to believe that the possibility of a Japanese attack was remote
- Singapore renamed as Syonan-To
- British and other Europeans taken as prisoners-of-war
- Most lived in fear of the Kempetei and its harsh punishment
- Operation Sook Ching attempted to wipe out Chinese opposition
to the Japanese
- Serious shortage of food and poor health conditions reconstruction
- Shortage of food, jobs, water and electricity
- Overcrowding and unhygienic housing conditions</sup>

^{Source:http://wiki.answers.com}

---

Bombing of Singapore (1941)

The attack on Singapore was assigned to 34 bombers of Genzan Air Group (Genzan Kaigun Kōkūtai) and 31 bombers of Mihoro Air Group.Their targets were RAF Tengah, RAF Seletar, Sembawang Naval Base and Keppel Harbour. Six squadrons from both air groups took off from southern Indochina on the night of 7 December 1941. However, bad weather conditions were encountered while over the South China Sea.Thick clouds offered poor visibility for the pilots, while rough winds caused most of the formations to become separated. After several attempts to regroup failed, Lieutenant Commander Niichi Nakanishi, Wing Commander of Genzan Air Group, ordered them to abort mission and return to base, thereby reducing the impact of a much heavier raid.Only seventeen G3M bombers of Mihoro Air Group reached Singapore on schedule.


 The Japanese formation was detected by a radar station in Mersing, Malaya, almost an hour before they reached Singapore. Three Brewster Buffalo fighters of No. 453 Squadron RAAF were on standby at RAF Sembawang. However, Flight Lieutenant Tim Vigors' request to scramble and intercept the Japanese bombers was denied. Air Chief Marshal Robert Brooke-Popham feared that the anti-aircraft batteries would fire on the friendly fighters, despite Vigors being an experienced night fighter in the Battle of Britain. He was supplemented by the belief that the Buffalo fighter was only suited for daylight fighting and could not be used at night. Paradoxically, there were 12 Bristol Blenheim Mark IF night fighters of No. 27 Squadron RAF stationed in Sungai Petani, Malaya, but were being used as ground-attack aircraft.

The streets were still brightly lit despite air raid sirens going off at 0400, allowing pilot navigators to locate their targets without difficulty. ARP Headquarters was not even manned, and there was no blackout as police and power station officials could not find the employee who had the key to the switch (only two practice blackouts were conducted in September 1941 before the raid). When the bombers began their attack at 0430, Allied anti-aircraft guns immediately opened fire. The battleship Prince of Wales and battlecruiser Repulse also responded, but no aircraft was shot down. A formation of nine bombers flew over without releasing their bombs to draw the searchlights and anti-aircraft guns away from the other group. They were flying at 12,000 feet, while the second formation was at 4,000 feet.
The 'Raiders Passed' signal was sent out at 0500.The bombers succeeded in bombing the airfields at Seletar and Tengah, damaging three Bristol Blenheim bombers of No. 34 Squadron RAF. A number of bombs also fell on Raffles Place. 61 people were killed and more than 700 were injured. Most of the casualties were troops of the 2/2nd Gurkha Rifles, 11th Indian Infantry Division. The Japanese bombers all returned safely to Thu Dau Mot.

Though the bombing caused only minor damage to the airfields, it stunned the British Far East Command. Despite intelligence reports of Japanese aircraft performance in the Second Sino-Japanese War, the command did not believe Japan's air forces were capable of striking Singapore from airfields more than 600 miles away in Indochina. The raid came as a surprise to Lieutenant General Arthur Percival, who "hardly expected the Japanese to have any very long-range aircraft."









After Reading This, i think that Singaporeans should actually listen for the alarm and know the different alarm that sounds on Total Defense Day. i myself, always during Total Defense Day, i wouldnt even care about the sirens that will sound and i dont even know the diffrent sirens that represent what.so after reading this i think i should listen to the sirens and on the radio and find out what the sirens represent so if something actually happen i would know how to react.

Source:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombing_of_Singapore_%281941%29(Date Accessed: 14 February 2013)

British Surrendered(15 February 1942)

^{(Japanese Rising Sun Flag)}
By the morning of 15 February, the Japanese had broken through the last line of defence and the Allies were running out of food and ammunition. The anti-aircraft guns had also run out of ammunition and were unable to repel any further Japanese air attacks which threatened to cause heavy casualties in the city centre. Looting and desertion by Allied troops further added to the chaos in the city centre.
A deputation was selected to go to the Japanese headquarters. It consisted of a senior staff officer, the colonial secretary and an interpreter. They set off in a motor car bearing a Union Jack and a white flag of truce toward the enemy lines to discuss a cessation of hostilities. They returned with orders that Percival himself proceed with staff officers to the Ford Motor Factory, where Yamashita would lay down the terms of surrender. A further requirement was that the Japanese Rising Sun Flag be hoisted over the tallest building in Singapore, the Cathay Building, as soon as possible to maximise the psychological impact of the official surrender. Percival formally surrendered shortly after 17:15.

 (The Cathay Building, Now known as The Cathay)





The terms of the surrender included:

• The unconditional surrender of all military forces (Army, Navy and Air Force) in Singapore.

• Hostilities to cease at 20:30 that evening.

• All troops to remain in position until further orders.

• All weapons, military equipment, ships, planes and secret documents to be handed over intact.

• To prevent looting, etc., during the temporary withdrawal of all armed forces in Singapore, a force of 1,000 British armed men to take over until relieved by the Japanese.

We noticed that the rising sun flag is being hung almost everywhere and i was curious what was it all about, i asked my neighbor and they told me that the British surrendered and i cant believe it. they ordered us to hang their rising sun flag out our window before the Japanese walk by if not we will be punished severely.

Source:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Singapore#Outbreak_of_war

The End of the Japanese Ocupation

On 6 and 9 August 1945, U.S. B-29 bombers dropped two atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. On 8 August 1945, Soviet Union declared war on Japan and invaded Manchuria. The bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki along with the entry of Soviet Union into the war ended the Japanese occupation of Southeast Asia. By then, the Japanese allowed the Allies to send in forces and food supplies. Prisoners-of-war were checked by medical officers and arrangements were made to send them home.
On 15 August, Japan announced its surrender. The formal signing of the surrender instrument was held at City Hall, Singapore, then known as "Municipal Hall", on 12 September. This was followed by a celebration at the Padang, which included a victory parade. Lord Louis Mountbatten, Supreme Allied Commander of South East Asia Command, came to Singapore to receive the formal surrender of the Japanese forces in the region from General Seishirō Itagaki on behalf of General Hisaichi Terauchi. A British military administration utilizing surrendered Japanese troops as security forces was formed to govern the island until March 1946.
After the Japanese surrendered, there was a state of anomie in Singapore, as the British had not yet arrived to take control. The Japanese occupiers had a considerably weakened hold over the populace. There were widespread incidents of looting and revenge-killing. Much of the infrastructure had been wrecked, including the harbour facilities and electricity, water supply, and telephone services. It took four or five years for the economy to return to pre-war levels. When British troops finally arrived they met with cheering and fanfare.
Banana money became worthless after the occupation ended. Many individuals who had acquired their wealth through banana currency were rendered penniless overnight.


     I was so happy that the Japanese surrendered as finally the killing has stop and alot of people gathered outside City Hall to witness the signing of the surrender.People cheered loudly and even people shouting,screaming and scolding the Japanese when they was walking out of
Fort Siloso. i myself also was angry at them but i was to happy too even be angry at them. after the signing, the remaining japanese soldier was ordered to clean up. so committed suicide instead of cleaning up as they was shamed that their own country surrendered.I was also surprise to know that in Japan, their  own people don't even know what is going on around them they was so shielded away from what was going on. after the Japanese know what happen, they was so remorseful. i pity those who was bombed in japan as they dont even know what was going on and they just died.Now, i really know how important Total Defense Day(15 February) is for Singapore.


Source:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Tiderace(Date Accessed:13 Feb 2013)

How the Japanese treated us

The Japanese treated us in mercilessly. this are some of the method that they used to treat us

1. Mass killings
2. Human experimentation and biological warfare
3. Use of chemical weapons
4. Torture of prisoners of war
5. Cannibalism
6. Forced labour
7. Comfort women
8. Looting

Scarce basic necessities

"Banana money" was issued during the war.

Resources were scarce during the occupation. The prices of basic necessities increased drastically due to hyperinflation. For example, the price of rice increased from $5 per 100 catties (about 60 kg or 130 lb) to $5000. The Japanese issued ration cards to limit the amount of resources received by the civilian population. Adults could purchase 4.8 kg (11 lb) of rice per month and 2.4 kg (5.3 lb) for children. The amount of rice for adults was reduced by 25% as the war progressed.
The Japanese issued banana money as their main currency since Straits currency became rare. The Japanese instituted elements of a command economy in which there were restrictions on the demand and supply of resources, thus creating a popular black market. The "banana currency" started to suffer from high inflation and dropped drastically in value because the authorities would simply print more whenever they needed more money; consequently the black market often used Straits currency.
Food quality and availability decreased greatly. Sweet potatoes and yam became the staple food of most diets of Singaporeans because they were considerably cheaper than rice and could also be grown in gardens. They were then turned into a variety of dishes, as both dessert and all three meals of the day. The nutrients helped stave off starvation, and new ways of consuming tapioca with other produce were regularly invented in order to stave off the monotony. Both the British and Japanese authorities encouraged the population to grow their own food if they had even the smallest amount of land, the encouragement and produce were similar to what occurred with victory gardens in the Western nations during World War II. Ipomoea aquatica, which grew relatively easy and flourished relatively well near the water, became a popular crop, as did other vegetables

Source:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_occupation_of_Singapore(Date Accessed:13 Feb 2013)

Battle of Sarimbun Beach(8–9 February 1942)

The Battle of Sarimbun Beach was the first stage of the Japanese assault on Singapore in February 1942 during World War II. Sarimbun, in the west of Singapore Island, was the area in which Japanese troops, under the overall direction of Lieutenant General Tomoyuki Yamashita, first attacked Allied forces. The commander of Allied forces in Singapore, Lieutenant General Arthur Percival, did not expect the Japanese to make their main attack in the west, and failed to reinforce the Australian 22nd Brigade, which took the brunt of the assault. The main Japanese objective to the immediate rear of Sarimbun was Tengah Airfield.
Battle
At 8.30pm on 8 February, Australian machine gunners opened fire on vessels carrying a first wave of 4,000 troops from the 5th and 18th Divisions towards Singapore island. The Japanese assaulted Sarimbun Beach, which was held by the 22nd Brigade.
Fierce fighting raged all day but eventually the increasing Japanese numbers — as well as their superiority in artillery, planes and military intelligence — began to take their toll. The Japanese exploited gaps in the thinly-spread Allied lines such as rivers and creeks. By midnight, the two Australian brigades had lost communications with each other and the 22nd Brigade was forced to retreat. At 1am, further Japanese troops were landed and the last Australian reserves went in.
Towards dawn on 9 February, some elements of the 22nd Brigade had been overrun or surrounded, and the 2/18th Australian Infantry Battalion, in the centre, had lost more than half of its personnel. The 2/20th Australian Infantry Battalion, on the right flank was also heavily committed. At the same time, the 2/19th Australian Infantry Battalion, on the left, was being outflanked, and only "B" Company faced the initial landings by the Japanese.
Percival maintained a belief that further landings would occur in the northeast and did not agree to reinforce the 22nd Brigade until Tengah Airfield itself was threatened. However, before limited British and Indian infantry reinforcements arrived, the badly-battered Australian and Singaporean units, along with the Jinds, had retreated to take up positions on the "Jurong Line", stretching south from the village of Bulim. Tengah Airfield was taken by the Japanese at around midday on 9 February.

Aftermath
Shortly after dark on 9 February, three British Fairmile B motor launches were sent on a raid up the western channel of the Straits of Johor, adjoining Sarimbun Beach. Their objective was to attack Japanese landing craft and communications. They came under fire from enemy forces on both shores, but pressed on almost as far as the causeway. A few Japanese landing craft were sunk before the launches returned down the channel, reaching Singapore safely and suffering minimal damage. Some Allied soldiers saw this as an example of effective defensive tactics that were used too little and/or too late by their senior commanders.