Japanese occupation of Singapore

Japanese Occupation of Singapore The Japanese Occupation of Singapore refers to the point in time in the history of Singapore between 1942 and 1945 when Japanese forces occupied Singapore during World War II, after having defeated the combined British, Indian and Malayan garrison. The occupation was to become a major turning point in the history of several nations, including that of the Japan, the United Kingdom, and to the then colony of Singapore itself. Singapore was renamed Syonan-to (-W� ShMnan-tM, "Light of the South Island" in Japanese) by the Japanese. Contents [hide]  1 Events leading to the Occupation 2 Repression 3 End of the Occupation 4 Consequences 5 See also 6 External links Events leading to the Occupation ....... The Japanese, who sought to gain control of South-east Asia in World War II, had overrun the Malay Peninsula in the Battle of Malaya with the main intent of occupying Singapore to gain greater control over her war-time resource gathering efforts, as it was a strategic port and the lynchpin of the American-British-Dutch-Australian Command (ABDACOM). After having taken all of Malaya in under a month, the garrison defending Singapore surrendered only a week after the invasion of Singapore commenced. Winston Churchill called the fall of Singapore to the Japanese on 15 February 1942 the "worst disaster" and "largest capitulation" in British history. Repression The Japanese Occupation is generally regarded by Singaporeans as the darkest period of Singaporean history. The Japanese had claimed that they were liberating Southeast Asia from colonialism, but in reality they were far harsher rulers than the British ever were. In addition to civilian casualties, numerous atrocities were committed by Japanese troops, particularly by the Kempeitai, the Japanese military's secret police, and the Japanese military's use of rape and comfort women. For instance, the Sook Ching Massacre of ethnic Chinese, including civilians who had donated to charities to aid the war effort in China, claimed between 25,000 and 50,000 lives in Malaya and Singapore. End of the Occupation After Japan surrendered to the Allies on August 15, 1945, there was a state of anomie in Singapore, as the British had not arrived to take control, while the Japanese occupiers had a considerably weakened hold over the populace. Incidents of looting and revenge-killing were widespread. Much of the infrastructure had been wrecked, including the harbor facilities and electricity, water, and telephone services. It would take four or five years for the economy to return to pre-war levels. When the British finally arrived, they were met with a cheering crowd and fanfare. Consequences Although the British had been welcomed back into Singapore, the fact remained that the British had failed to defend Singapore, and in the eyes of many Singaporeans this had cost them their credibility as infallible rulers. The decades after the war saw a political awakening amongst the local populace and the rise of nationalist and anti-colonial sentiments. Hence, the Japanese Occupation caused the path to eventual independence to be greatly accelerated, as public confidence in the ability of their British leaders in protecting them and their ways of life crumbled. See also Battle of Singapore History of Singapore External links Fall of Malaya and Singapore A detailed history of the Battle of Singapore.Template:Singapore-stub Category: History of Singapore