6 daily life Flashcards
Struggle for survival: Coping with shortages
Food and essential items shortages occurred due to limited imports and Japan prioritizing war resources. Strict rationing was imposed, and ration cards limited access to essentials like rice and sugar. The shortage pushed up prices, leading people to buy from the black market at exorbitant prices. The Japanese printed banana notes, devaluing money, with severe inflation causing an egg to cost $15 by the war’s end. Explanation: Many lived in poverty and suffered hardship, with malnutrition and disease common. Starvation spread as prices soared beyond what banana notes could cover, leading people to rely on simple diets like sweet potatoes.
Channelling of resources to Japan’s war efforts:
Food import and export businesses in Singapore were taken over by Japanese companies, and the military administration began grouping suppliers of various commodities into distribution monopolies called kumiai
For instance, the import and distribution of rice was handled by Mitsubishi Shoji Corporation. The Cold Storage supermarket, which had a good refrigeration system and was a major importer of frozen meat, was made into a butai, a company linked to the military.
Rationing – Yet another means of control:
Food and other related essentials were sold at controlled prices that were published in the newspapers daily.
Members of all households had to be registered to receive ration cards - Any movement of people from one household to another or out of Singapore had to be reported to the neighbourhood police > Rations would then be adjusted accordingly.
Fluctuating supply - People were not allowed to buy the full month’s entitlement all at once, but had to queue for them weekly or whenever new supplies were available.
Shortage of Food and Essential Items
Trade was disrupted, greatly limiting the import of goods into Singapore
Most of the available resources were channelled to Japan’s war efforts rather than to the people
Japanese Response: Rationing
Rationing began for essential food items such as rice and sugar
But largely ineffective:
Long queues
Low quality food
Dwindling rations: Monthly rice rations fell from 20 katis (12 kg) per person in 1942 to just 8 katis per adult male, 6 katis for women, and 4 katis per child in 1945.
Inflation
Contributed to the growth of a black market
Those who could afford it paid extremely high prices to obtain necessities such as medicines, tinned milk for babies, and better food for the sick etc.
The Japanese tried to ease the inflation by printing more banana money
But even as more money became available, the prices of food continued to rise…
Japanese Response: Print more money
Banana money continued to decline in value Less and less food could be bought with the banana money
One had to carry large bags of notes just to buy the smallest items
By the end of the war, banana money became almost worthless
Struggle for survival: Poor health standards
Healthcare and sanitation declined during the occupation. Malnutrition caused by food shortages weakened health, leading to deaths from diseases like beriberi and pneumonia. 130,000 deaths occurred during the occupation, more than double pre-war deaths. POWs faced overcrowded, unsanitary conditions, and many worked on the Siam-Burma Railway, where 16,000 died. Explanation: The lack of medicine and poor living conditions worsened life for many. The death of loved ones and widespread suffering became a common experience during the occupation.
Death rate climbed
Primary causes of death: Beriberi, Pneumonia, Dysentry, Malaria (most fatal)
POWs and Civilian Prisoners
Poor living conditions
Continual shortages of food and medicine
Forced to take on hard labour:
Cleared war damage, buried the dead, and built Japanese memorial shrines
Sent to work on the Siam-Burma Railway (“Death Railway”)
Beriberi:
Beriberi is a disease in which the body does not have enough thiamine (vitamin B1).
Symptoms include:
Difficulty walking.
Loss of feeling (sensation) in hands and feet.
Loss of muscle function or paralysis of the lower legs.
Mental confusion/speech difficulties.
Pain.
Strange eye movements (nystagmus)
Tingling.
Vomiting.
Dysentry:
Dysentery is an infection of the intestines that causes diarrhoea containing blood or mucus. Other symptoms of dysentery can include: painful stomach cramps. feeling sick or being sick (vomiting) a high temperature.
Struggle for survival: Relocation to Malaya
To increase agricultural output, the Japanese relocated people from Singapore to Malaya. Endau settlement in Johor succeeded due to fertile soil, but Bahau settlement for Eurasians and Roman Catholics failed due to poor soil, leading to food shortages and settlers resorting to eating rats. Explanation: Life was harsh as locals were uprooted from their homes. Poor planning and inadequate resources led to malnutrition and illnesses, with many settlers perishing in the Bahau settlement.
Why were people relocated?
Grow More Food Campaign
Initially, the Japanese encouraged people to strive for self-sufficiency by growing their own food, but the output was insufficient to ease the food shortage
From 1943, the Japanese resorted to relocating people from Singapore to farming colonies outside Singapore to increase agricultural output
Leisure and entertainment activities during wartime
The Japanese allowed leisure activities to maintain the appearance of a harmonious society. They introduced radio programmes with Japanese songs, local dialects, and news. Japanese movies were screened, and sports like football and badminton were encouraged. POWs engaged in social, religious, and sports activities like painting murals at Changi Chapel. Explanation: Participating in activities provided relief from stress, especially for POWs. However, these activities couldn’t compensate for the lack of necessities like food and medicine or the emotional strain of living under a harsh regime.
