How the Japanese treated me ( 18 Feb 1942- 13 Sept 1945)

On the 18 February 1942, I returned back to Singapore as my immigrant was a failed. I got terrified and  extremely scared. "What the Japanese will do to my family?" I wondered. My parents also fear about it, but we still have to survive. We have to traveled back no matter how badly we doesn't wants to. And right on this day, my family and I got caught. We didn't expect that this would happen. It's fearful. I doesn't know what to do. They brought my father away and I doesn't know what they are going to do to me. I started sobbing. They killed my father I guess and they locked my mother in a room as she was suspected that she is helping the enermy as we oversea.
I watched her being tortured and rape in this room for a few days as hatred grows in me. Soon, I got separated from her as the Japanese pulled me to another room and start tortured me, like hitting me with their belts and guns armed on them. They then brought me to some schools to learn Japanese and more.
Everyday, I the one of the lucky ones who got education, small portion of food and a small prison to live. I listen to them attentively and followed their instructions. Days passes by. I got tortured in class and all that. I have a complete no trust on anybody. No one could be trusted as they will betray you. I live in that kind of world day by day. I hope that this war would be ended as soon as possible. There is not much news could be heard from anyone or anything. My live is like that and that's how badly they treated me.
One day, they I'm shock that a news have came out that we are released! Is this end of war? I wondered. I wanted to find my parents, but I guess they are not in this world anymore. Pain and agony could not be describe in me. I cried out painfully. I wondered what my life would be next.

Rachel

13 September 1945

( posted for information for some others post that saying I have returned to Singapore. )

Operation Clean Up ( Sook Ching Operation) (18 Feb 1942-20 Feb 1942)

"The Sook Ching Massacre was the extreme act of exterminating the enemy used by the Japanese during World War II. This was carried out in Singapore on the Chinese after the surrender of the British to the Japanese on 15 February, 1942. The term, Sook Ching comes from a Chinese word meaning a purge through cleansing. This ruthless and massacre lasted from 18 February, 1942 to 4 March, 1942. It was carried out at various places including Punggol Beach and Changi Beach. The reason behind this massacre was because the Japanese were concerned about the local Chinese as many of them were either very loyal to Britain or China, both enemies of Japan. 

The most brutal massacre that occurred in the history of Singapore happened on 20 February 1942. 66 Chinese men were lined up along the Changi Beach and were then shot by the military police. The Punggol Beach massacre had cost a total 300 to 400 innocent men. Despite all this, it is unclear as to how many people have died from this extermination as there is a lack of records. However, official Japanese figures show that there are around 5 000 while the Singapore Chinese Community figures shows a shocking total of 100 000. Through postwar trial testimonies however, the suggested total is 25 000 to 50 000. "

News that I currently heard about is this as I just released as it is end of war. And I'm thinking why this facts is so cruel. The Japanese killed many innocent people in this operation they had. They are cruel, but what can we do? Only have to accept it and learn from it. 

I'm not inside this and I felt lucky. Extremely lucky. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3lPfSbN-As 

Rachel 

13 September 1945

Website Citation:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3lPfSbN-As (Date accessed: 18 February 2013)

http://www2.hci.edu.sg/y09hci0003/content.html ( Date accessed: 18 February 2013)

The Japanese surrender (26 July 1945 - 02 Sept 1945)

Everything have finally come to an end of this World War II where the Japanese had surrendered. Peace at last. Hearing from all the information provided by the news, it took some time for the Japanese to surrender. What have happened was that before the surrender, the United States, Great Britian, and the Soviet Union, announced the Potsdam Declaration on 26 July 1954. It demanded an immediate and unconditional Japanese surrender. The alternative to the unconditional surrender was complete destruction. The United States, Great Britain, and the Soviet Union all thought that it was a suitable condition for what the Japanese had done. One major question that had to be answered before the Japanese would agree to surrender was whether the Japanese emperor would be allowed to keep his throne. To the Japanese people, Emperor Hirohito was more than just the Emperor, he was a god. When he became Emperor, he said that his motto was enlightened peace, but World War II was anything but enlightened peace. The Allies answered that the Japanese surrender would have no conditions, period. They would not agree to let the Japanese emperor keep his throne, so the Japanese refused to surrender. 
This is where the atomic bombs was invented by the United States and was tested before the bombing.

On August 6, 1945, the United States dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan. 

Image courtesy of www.yahoo.com

Over 92,000 Japanese were killed. President then called on the Japanese government to surrender. The Japanese refused. Due to the refusal of the surrender, the United States dropped an even larger bomb over the city of Nagasaki on August 9, 1945.Over 40,000 more Japanese were killed. Fewer people died during the use of the bomb on Nagasaki than

 Hiroshima because Hiroshima was a more populated city.

The Japanese government couldn’t decide on what to do. Some people wanted to surrender immediately, but some people were worried that if they surrendered, the emperor’s throne would be at stake. It was actually the emperor who did the announcing. On August 15, 1945, Emperor Hirohito announced that the nation was surrendering.

http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?client=mv-google&v=NF4LQaWJRDg&rdm=mi83792hn

On September 2, 1945, on the deck of the battleship USS Missouri, the surrender documents were signed. World War II was finally over. After Emperor Hirohito announced that the Japanese were surrendering, he convinced the Japanese that he was not a god.

After hearing all this news, about how and when did the Japanese surrendered, I felt a strong sense do relief, but it is also heart-wrenching that many people have to suffer from this war.... It's painful to hear this news about the bombing and it does makes me want to help out Japan which is now on this state. I feel the sense of remorse and guiltless for leaving Singapore. I return as I'm not immigrate to the other peaceful country during the Japanese took over Singapore. I felt this strong sense of agony in me too as my family and relative died in this war, after coming back to Singapore. I'm extremely lucky. But what I saw is nothing but a ruined world at first. Now I'm worrying about my future as my family became by poor. I guess it's late and time to sleep. I shall rest now...

Rachel

04 September 1945

Book reference:

Ministry of Education, Singapore. (2007). Singapore From Settlement To Nation Pre-1819 to 1971. Published by EPB Pan Pacific

Website citation:
http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?client=mv-google&v=NF4LQaWJRDg&rdm=mi83792hn
http://library.thinkquest.org/CR0215466/japan_surrenders.htm

How did The Japanese treated me. (Elizabeth Choy)(1942-1943)

I was imagining me being this lady, Elizabeth Choy, that was being tortured terribly, standing at her point of view. Imagining about things that have happened to her has happened to me. How the Japanese treated me.

"It's like 200 days in hell, suffering so much as the Japanese captured me, suspecting that I have help the British internees.

What they did to me was that they put in a prison cell that is only 10 by 12 feet (4m by 5m) big and there were more than 20 people suffocate inside. The whole room was so packed that we could only knelt from morning to night. Some of us even suffered serious sores on our knees. I was the only female among them Inside the cell was a tap and underneath it, a hole meant for toilet purposes. There was no privacy to speak of -- our daily business was conducted there in full view of everyone.

The stench coming from our perspiration, human waste and stagnant water fouled up the small cell and was extremely suffocating.

We had to crawl out through a small trap door at the side for interrogation. Our captors beat us up, subjected us to electric shocks and pumped us up with water as part of the interrogation routine. The feeling of having one’s belly pumped full of water and then seeing the water gushing out of the body was hardly bearable.
When my interrogators could not get any information out of me, they dragged my husband from Outram Prison, tied him up and made him kneel beside me. Then, in his full view, they stripped me to the waist and applied electric currents to me.
The electric shocks sent my whole body into spasms. My tears and mucus flowed uncontrollably.
Even now, anything with electricity, like microwave ovens and the television, puts me off.
I cannot describe the pain, but it must have been thousands of times worse for my husband who had to see me being tortured.
I was detained in the centre for more than 200 days. I wore the same outfit for that period of time. Getting a decent shower was wishful thinking; we considered ourselves very lucky to have a little water to wash our faces.
I was finally released after more than 200 days in the cell.
Not having seen sunlight during my imprisonment, my eyes could hardly open as I stood directly under the sun. My mind was a complete blank.
The clothes that I had been wearing for 200 days smelt foul.
My body ached from my injuries.
For a long while, I felt I had just returned from death." 

Elizabeth Choy

(1910-2006)

Rachel

1943

Website citation
http://ourstory.asia1.com.sg/war/headline/ec200.html  (Date assessed: 11 February 2013)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_Choy (Date assessed: 11 February 2013)

How the British surrendered (15 Feb 1942)

I learned that how the British surrendered after a few days of the surrender. The news had extract about what took place during the negotiation process. Hearing that the Japanese who negotiate is called Tomoyuki Yamashita and the British, Percival. This is what the conversation between them about during the nagotiation:
Japanese ( Y) : I want to hear whether you want to surrender or not. If you want to surrender I insist on it being unconditional. What is your answer? Yes or no?
British ( P) : Will you give me until tomorrow morning?
Y: Tomorrow? I cannot wait and the Japanese forces will have to attack tonight.
P: How about waiting until 11.30 p.m. Tokyo time?
Y: If that is to be the case, the Japanese forces will have to resume attacks until then. Will you say yes or no?
P: (made no reply)
Y: I want to hear a decisive answer and I insist on an unconditional surrender. What do you say?
P: Yes.
Y: All right then. The order to ceasefire must be issued exactly at 10 p.m. i will immediately send one thousand troops into the city area to maintain peace and order. You agree to that?
P: Yes.
Y: If you violate these terms, the Japanese will lose no time in launching a general and final offensive against Singapore City.

What anger me the most was how Yamashita reflected on the fall of Singapore.
"My attack on Singapore was a bluff- a bluff that worked. I had 30,000 men and was outnumbered more than three to one. I knew that if I had to fight long for Singapore, I would be beaten. That was why the surrender had to be at once. I was very frightened all the time that the British would discover our numerical weakness and lack of supplies and force me into disastrous street fighting."
I felt very angry about it, but this is a battle between British and Japanese. Now, living in Singapore should be a huge suffering.  I have to leave now as I have some things on.

Rachel

17 February 1942

Textbook reference

unknown.(2011). Singapore: From Settlement to Nation Pre-1819 to 1971.Singapore. EPB Pan Pacific

The British Surrendered (15 Feb 1942)

What we never expected had became real. It was really unbelievable that the British decided to surrender on this day which is on Chinese New Year where no one dared to celebrate in Singapore, the 15 February 1942. No one thought that this day would ever came right before us where the Japanese took over Singapore. Knowing about what had happened to Singapore sadden me. The British had a final conference at the Fort Canning bunker with the Japan.

The supplies of food and water were running out, soldiers were tired, too many problems to hander and if they were to engaged the Japanese in street fighting, more men would be killed, so to prevent further bloodshed, the British give up fighting for us, Singapore. I cried after hearing this kind of news about my home town being destroyed, but what could we do, absolutely nothing. I'm utterly disappointed about it. 

Rachel

16 February 1942

Textbook reference

unknown.(2011). Singapore: From Settlement to Nation Pre-1819 to 1971.Singapore. EPB Pan Pacific

Website citation
https://www.google.com.sg/search?q=british+surrender+to+japanese+in+singapore&hl=en&safe=active&tbo=d&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=VKsXUYrfE4PorQeC-oGgBg&sqi=2&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAA&biw=1366&bih=643#imgrc=_ (Date Assessed: 10 February 2013)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Singapore (Date assessed: 10 February 2013)

 

The battle for Singapore (08 - 13 Feb 1942)

On 08 February 1942, the nightmare came true. The Japanese troop crossed the Johor straits using rubber boats and rafts. The Japanese headed Northern- western part of Singapore as it was not being well defended as the British has moved their defences to the north-east of Singapore due to the bombing on Changi and Pulau Ubin. Due to the lack of communication and misunderstanding, the British, the British army retreated even before the Japanese arrived. Singapore become defenceless and vulnerable.

During the battle at Bukit Timah Hill on 11 February 1942, the British army lost their control of a reservoir and supplies to the Japanese. Two days after, the British and Japanese suffered heavy casualties from the fight in Pasir Panjang. Most of the British soldiers were demoralised and exhausted from the war.

While all these was happening, I had already flee to other country for survival. Through I am overseas, I would never had the heart to abandon Singapore which where I lived from young. After learning about all the bad news, I realised that Singapore is really vulnerable and how wrong we had been believing that the foreigners are going to protect Singapore.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Jx38CQkka-Q

Rachel

14 February 1942

Textbook reference

unknown.(2011). Singapore: From Settlement to Nation Pre-1819 to 1971.Singapore. EPB Pan Pacific

Website citation

http://citizenhistorian.com/2007/07/31/not-just-a-foreigners-war/ (Date Accessed: 10 Feb 2013)
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Jx38CQkka-Q

The Fall of Johor (31 Jan 1942)

After losing the battle against the Japanese at Slim river, the British had lost many goods, ammunitions and equipments. The British are at their losing ends and withdrew to Singapore while the Japanese captured Johor and preparing to invade Singapore. The British blew up a 70 ft (21 m) -wide hole in the causeway that linked Johor and Singapore. Though the link is broken, the Japanese quickly repaired the bombed section of the causeway using the civilians living in Johor Bahru. 

After knowing this news, our family has already started to prepared to flee. We were living in fear every day, fearing that the next hour or day the Japanese would invade Singapore and destroy our homes. I cried every night in my sleep, dreaming of the bad scenes of how the war would be like in the small island of Singapore. 

Rachel

01 January 1942

Textbook reference
unknown.(2011). Singapore: From Settlement to Nation Pre-1819 to 1971.Singapore. EPB Pan Pacific

Website reference

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malayan_Campaign (Date acessed : 10 feb 2013)

Battle of Jitra (11-12 Dec 1941)

The British were wrong. All these while they had been saying about how inferior the Japanese are became untrue. In just merely two days, British had not only lost their air power, but also theur control of the sea. The atmosphere in Singapore became very tense and no one knows what would happen next.

The Japanese were swift and fast, using bicycles as their mean of transport down to Malaya. Their tanks were able to move through the jungle and the British were soon outnumbered as they were no matched for Japanese well trained soldiers.

These bad news came by and I was unaware of how bad the situation is. People started to panic and many started to escape from the country by any means. I have to stop writing now because it's was late already. 

Rachel

13 December 1941

Textbook reference
unknown.(2011). Singapore: From Settlement to Nation Pre-1819 to 1971.Singapore. EPB Pan Pacific

Sinking of battle ships (10 Dec 1941)

It was indeed shocking to hear the news of the British battleships, HMS Repulse and the HMS Prince of Wales being sunk on this day by the attack of the Japanese planes. Since the air power support were being cut off during northern landing two days ago, the British are unable to prevent the naval disaster.

I have a gut feeling about this war. We are going to lose. More fear invaded us and we were frightened that the Japanese soldiers would kill us all. We have to snatch for food and buy more food for storage at high prices. The rice, gain and flour prices shot up every minute and people were complaining but reluctantly buy the rice and grain at high prices. The sight was depressing to me and I hope everything can be fine. 

Rachel

10 December 1941

Textbook reference
unknown.(2011). Singapore: From Settlement to Nation Pre-1819 to 1971.Singapore. EPB Pan Pacific

Website reference

http://www.maritimequest.com/warship_directory/great_britain/battleships/repulse_1916/hms_repulse_sinking_of_repulse.htm ( Date accessed  :10 Feb 2013)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_invasion_of_Malaya ( Date accessed  :10 Feb 2013)

Japanese invasion of Malaya (08 Dec 1941)

Singapore is peaceful even though there were hardship. I was fortunate to be born with a silver spoon where I could get education. Every days and seconds living in Singapore for most people living in the kampong areas are hardship, but there are happiness and smile within them which are not for long.

I am Rachel, a chinese living in Singapore. I was a lucky girl who is born in Singapore at the times of it's peace and start of prosperity of the country. My father's businesses become good due to the strategic location of Singapore in the trades. However, good things don't last, our wealth are soon to be used up on foods, water and necessaries.



On this faithful date, 08 December 1941, I could vividly remember the scene of chaos and fears when we heard the bomb explosion in Malaya. I saw many Japanese war planes that were flown around Singapore.  Everyone in my area was afraid of war that would come with more bloodshed while others were positive about the British's effort in defending Singapore. The news about the places in Singapore being bombed spread fast, we were forced to stay indoor after hearing the siren.




This sudden attack strike hard, where we are not prepared on our storage of food, water and necessaries.I was living in fear with my family. Though we were rich, the money could last as long as we thought. We remained positive about this, as we knew that the British has their navel base in Singapore with 15 inch guns, mounted on ships facing the sea preventing any attack, and also having military air field and underground bunkers to protect the country.

I have to stop writing as I need to help my mother in preparing food. 

Rachel 

09 December 1941

Textbook reference
unknown.(2011). Singapore: From Settlement to Nation Pre-1819 to 1971.Singapore. EPB Pan Pacific