Never again, we remind ourselves. 3 years and 8 months of extreme hardship and suffering as an occupied people. This tiny island nation was the scene of the largest surrender of British-led forces ever recorded in history. It was 15 February 1942, the first day of the Chinese New Year, the Year of the Horse, but there was no celebration. The Battle of Singapore was over in one week.
When the Japanese did attack, it was indicative of their military prowess in the region at the time.
Both the Britain’s naval and aerial capabilities were already destroyed before any Japanese soldier set foot on Singapore.
On the night of 8 February 1942, the Japanese began to bombard the northwestern coastline of Singapore. Subsequently, they crossed the Johor Straits in collapsible boats and overran the Australian soldiers tasked with guarding the area as they landed in the north-west of the island. It is believed that 13,000 troops crossed into Singapore that night.
After gaining full control of Pasir Panjang Ridge on 14 February, Japanese troops moved into the Alexandra area.
Another group of soldiers then entered the wards and bayoneted the patients indiscriminately. Later, the Japanese were said to have gathered about 200 patients and staff outside the hospital, tied them up with a rope and crammed them into three small rooms for the night. The next day they were tied together in threes and executed. It is estimated that around 280 staff and patients were killed over two days.
Extreme hardship and suffering as an occupied people
Singaporeans went through extreme hardship and suffering as an occupied people.
Conditions were desperate. There was not enough food; there was no healthcare.
Worse than physical hardship was having to live in constant fear.
“Hindsight enables us to understand that there were serious errors of leadership as the Japanese 25th Army attacked down the Malayan peninsula.So it is not surprising that one of the lessons that the late Lee Kuan Yew took from the fall of Singapore was that Singaporeans should never rely on any but themselves for their security. And that is why the Singapore Armed Forces are the best funded, best equipped, best trained and most professional forces in South-east Asia.”– Scott Wightman, British High Commissioner to Singapore
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