It seems inconceivable, but less than 80 years ago, Singapore was under an authoritarian ruler.
In Feb 1942, the Empire of Japan invaded Singapore, which was a British stronghold at the time.
The two forces battled for just over a week, and the Japanese came out on top.
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Japanese military forces occupied the country after the defeat and subjected the locals to forced assimilation, food scarcity, and even ethnic cleansing for three years.
79 years have passed since the end of Japanese rule, but the hardships suffered by our forbearers have not been forgotten.
WWII Memorial Service Held on Total Defence Day With An E-book Launch
A free electronic book recounting the horrors of Japanese rule and the sacrifices locals had to make was launched on Monday (15 Feb).
World War II veterans, families of those who died during that time, and religious leaders all attended the scaled-down memorial ceremony.
Monday was Total Defence Day, the day that marks Singapore’s fall to the Japanese in 1942.
The first commemoration service took place in 1967, when it was unveiled by founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew.
This year’s service was co-organised by the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Nexus.
The new 36-page e-book, titled The Story Of The Civilian War Memorial, details how the memorial in Beach Road was erected and contains some harrowing stories of the war.
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It is aimed at the younger generation, who may be unaware of the trials and tribulations faced by the pioneer generation during those three years.
It is available in both English and Chinese.
Lawrence Wong: New E-book Will Help New Generation Understand Why Singapore is Worth Defending
Education Minister Lawrence Wong, the guest of honour at the ceremony, said the e-book will help the new generation understand why Singapore is worth defending.
It will also show how differently things could have turned out, he said.
More importantly, it will ensure that those who lived through the horrors of the occupation are not forgotten.
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“As time passes, the generation that endured the Occupation… will gradually fade away. It is important that we keep these memories alive”, he said.
Sook Ching
Among the horrors detailed in the e-book is Sook Ching, an anti-Chinese operation by the Japanese military police.
Sook Ching, which means “purging through purification” in Chinese, aimed to eliminate those who were deemed to be hostile to the Empire of Japan, especially ethnic Chinese residents.
The pogrom claimed between 25,000 and 55,000 lives in Singapore as well as in neighboring Malaya.
Feature Image: Shutterstock / TK Kurikawa
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