GES1010 NATION-BUILDING IN SINGAPORE, CA1 ESSAY ASSIGNMENT
Singapore fell into the hands of Japan and was renamed “Syonan-to” from 1942-1945.[1] During the Japanese Occupation, Singaporeans had to breathe Japan and those who were anti-Japanese were either badly tortured or even killed. However, the Japanese Occupation did not last when Japanese surrendered in February 1945, marking the start of Singapore nation. The making of a Singapore nation was when local leaders emerged to govern and lead the country, subsequently making Singapore to become a country of its own. Japanese Occupation was a turning point that led to the occurrence of events, resulting in Singapore becoming a self-governed country by local leaders standing on its own.
Japanese
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British was not ready to let Singapore be self-governed then due to its military bases that were situated in Singapore. They were afraid that upon independence, these bases would fall into the hands of communists. Through this, it can be seen that the Japanese Occupation did not result in the making of a Singapore nation; instead, Singapore escaped the clutch of Japan only to be under the rules of British again. However, the separation between Malaya and Singapore showed that the British did have plans to eventually hand down the power to Singapore leaders to govern themselves just that they did not plan for it to take place immediately after the war ended. To add on, the British also introduced Rendel Constitution which allowed partial self-government by the locals. This further shows that British did have plans to make Singapore into a self-government country gradually.
In conclusion, the Japanese Occupation played a part in the birth of Singapore nation. Without the occurrence of Japanese Occupation, the separation between Malayan Union and Singapore would not have taken place as the post-war condition would not exist. It has also caused political awakening to a number of leaders who realised they had to step up and fight for independence. Lastly,
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http://m.todayonline.com/rememberinglky/leader-shaped-post-war-crucible (accessed September 11, 2015)
[5] Ho, Stephanie. “Battle of Singapore.” Singapore Infopedia. http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/SIP_2013-07-19_113523.html (accessed September 11, 2015)
[6] National Library Board. “National Service: Early years.” Singapore Infopedia. http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/SIP_692_2005-02-01.html (accessed September 13, 2015)
[7] National Library Board. “Operation Sook Ching is Carried Out.” History SG. http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/history/events/d0523464-3a43-4520-a864-f195a8aef418 (accessed September 11, 2015)
[8] “Plan to Kill 50,000 Chinese in Singapore.” Straits Times, March 19, 1947. http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/straitstimes19470319-1.2.44.aspx (accessed September 15, 2015)
[9] “Entrepot Trade.” SlideShare. http://www.slideshare.net/CrossProf_com/entrepot-trade (accessed September 13, 2015)
[10] Koh, J. “Straits Settlements.” Singapore Infopedia. http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/SIP_2014-07-30_084623.html (accessed September 11,
On the 15th of February in 1942 one of the biggest defeats of the British Empire was accomplished by the Japanese, Singapore was surrendered. The Fall of Singapore was relatively destructive to the relationship between Britain and Australia. Australia relied on Britain holding Singapore as it was the last defence against the Japanese and it was feared that Japan would go on and invade Australia if it fell, Australia openly showed that they could not rely on the British for defence by becoming a strong ally with America and asking them to help with the feared Japanese invasion. Australia feared the threat of invasion constantly throughout the war, when Singapore fell the Australian government predicted a certain attack by the Japanese.
The United States became a major threat to Japan. Many people believe the Japanese were successful in their attack. But, the result of the attack did not enable Japan to expand into the Pacific. It did not result in the acquisition of more natural resources.
Chang, Iris. The Rape of Nanking: The Forgotten Holocaust of World War II. New York: BasicBooks, 1997. Print.
Chang, Iris. The Rape of Nanking: The Forgotten Holocaust of World War II. New York, New York:
For instance, English is the official language, both in Singapore and Hong Kong. Moreover, Singapore and Hong Kong both became international financial and economic centers. The new technology, education systems and the Enlightenment ideas introduced by the British built a bridge between their past to their irreplaceable positions in the modern world. Yet, Singapore and China suffered severe economic distress for years. Also, the hardship of Chinese and Singapore citizens under the era of imperialism was inestimable. Imperialism could not be praised or blamed. It is the product of historical background and complex relationships among
Neal, Mary. Battle of Singapore. The Globe and Mail [Toronto, Ont] 13 Nov 1990: A.16.
Chang, Iris. The Rape of Nanking: The Forgotten Holocaust of World War II. New York, NY: Basic, 1997. Print.
Steinberg, David I., and Donald N. Clark. "Review of The Kwangju Uprising: Shadows over the Regime in South Korea." The Journal of Asian Studies 47.3 (1988): 662-63. Print.
Main reasons for the interest of British in the country in the 19th Century: The opening of Singapore, The Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1824, the establishment and transfer of power of the straits, Settlement Intervention of the Malay States, the progress of British Administration and opening of the rubber estates.
By taking over Manchuria in 1931, the Japanese wished to de-populate overcrowded territories in Japan and settle its surplus population over seas. Due to the rate at which the Japanese population was growing, social problems began to arise and Japan needed a way to disperse its people into other regions other than its own. Many cities and villages became overcrowded and thousands of Japanese citizens in...
Leipziger, Danny 1997, Lessons from East Asia. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press. p. 240.
U.S. Department of State. (2010, October 9). Background note: Singapore. Retrieved April 4, 2011 from http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2798.htm
1. In 1810, Sir Stamford Raffles founded the island of Singapore and later claimed it in an attempt to create a trading post for the British. This trading post was located on the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, which was important for trade from East Asia and India. In the early 19th century, Malays, Chinese, and Indians came to Singapore to begin trade. The language spoken by these ethnicities affected one another and resulted in a choppy, sing-song version of the Queen’s English with heavy accents from the Hokkien, Malay, Cantonese, Tamil, and more.
Fifty years after the end of the second World War, it is easy to look back on the American occupation of Japan and see it as a mild nudge to the left rather than a new beginning for the country. We still see an emperor, even if only as a symbol. Industry, when it was rebuilt, was under much of the same leadership as before the war. Many elements of the traditional lifestyle remained–with less government support and in competition with new variants. The Japanese people remained connected to a culture which was half western and half Japanese. Nevertheless, it is irrefutable that the surrender in 1945 had a major impact on the lives of the Japanese. Political parties, elected by the populous, became a great deal more influential in the government. This changed the dynamics of Japanese industry, even if the zaibatsu were sill the foundation of the economy. Financial success took on a new character; the production of high tech goods for sale to the world’s most developed countries was now a better source of income. The affluence of the upper class was more evenly distributed. On a broader scale, for the first time, America had more influence than European powers. The prevention of the formation of a military put the focus of the government on trade, the United Nations, and the cold war rather than an empire in Asia. Simultaneously, social attitudes and lifestyle were more independent of the government and consumer led.
Singapore gained its independence in 1965.It has been growing gradually and increasingly in the economy. I is now included among the world’s most competitive economies. This was made possible by being an public business globally, with a good business environment and a substantial political market, making it a popular country to invest in globally.