Chap 6 How Did the Japanese Establish Control In SG

Question 1

when was the JO?

Answer 1

15 Feb 1942- 12 Sep 1945

Question 2

main 2 ways Japanese established control

Answer 2

using force

winning loyalty of the locals

Question 3

4 under using force

Answer 3

meting out harsh punishments
imprisoning allied soldiers
carrying out operation sook ching
coercing chinese business community

Question 4

3 under winning loyalty

Answer 4

using propaganda
providing benefits to locals
imposing japanese culture

Question 5

meeting out harsh punishments

what did the japanese do and what purpose did it serve

Answer 5

Japanese executed those caught looting
heads displayed publicly @ open spaces outside Cathay Building & bridges across Singapore River ->
created fear & served as severe warnings to ppl abt potential consequences of going against Japanese

Question 6

meeting out harsh punishments (abt Kempeitai)
who are they
what did they do
how were ppl encouraged to be informants
what happened
what abt the suspects
what did ppl learn to do

Answer 6

Kempeitai were the Japanese military police
arrested those who were suspected of being anti-Japanese
Food/cash rewards offered to encourage ppl to inform authorities of anyone suspected to be involved in anti-Japanese activities
Thus, no one knew who to trust, ppl became suspicious of one another
suspects beaten/tortured until they revealed info Japanese wanted
some imprisoned/executed
over time, ppl learnt to go abt their business quietly & not appear disobedient in case they drew unwanted attention of Japanese authorities

Question 7

imprisoning allied soldiers
who
what

Answer 7

Japanese imprisoned the British, Australians and (Allied) Europeans [BAE? to memorize] including women and children
POWs forced to march publicly from Bukit Timah Road to Changi Prison and barracks nearby
many civilians passed POWs food and money despite risk of being punished

Question 8

carrying out operation sook ching (targeting chinese comm because…)

Answer 8

brutal purge of members of Chinese community who were suspected of being anti-Japanese
Kempeitai in charge
Targeted as they were viewed as potential source of opposition and threat to rule
when Japanese invaded China in 1937, they faced strong resistance from Chinese (including communities outside China)
e.g. Chinese community in SG called for a boycott of Japanese goods & contributed funds to China’s war efforts against Japan
some even returned to fight

Question 9

info abt carrying out operation sook ching (how it took place)

Answer 9

Japanese posted notices requiring all Chinese men aged 18-50 to assemble at mass screening centres to be examined
e.g. former YMCA Young Men’s Christian Association building @ Stamford Road (used as headquarters of Kempeitai East District Branch)
Japanese records estimate 6000 killed
others show abt 25000-50000

Question 10

operation sook ching (comic)

Answer 10

chinese men went before japanese officer at a table in a heavily guarded barbed wire enclosure
informants identified ppl who were suspected of being anti-Japanese
looked for
-secret society members with tatoos
-former Chinese civil servants
-journalists
seen to have stronger links with China and resistant to Japanese
those not identified as anti-Japanese received stamp and allowed to go home
those who didnt pass screening stamped with triangular mark, tied up and kept under guard
men transported to beaches in Punggol and Changi (executed)
thousands killed (in massacre)

Question 11

coercing chinese business community

Answer 11

targeted because of their generous contributions to China Relief Fund which supported China’s resistance against Japan
OCA Overseas China Association created to act as channel of communication between Japanese gov and Chinese community
Dr Lim Boon Keng appointed to head OCA
demanded to gift 50 million Straits dollars to Japanese administration to punish them for supporting anti-Japanese war activities in China & British war efforts in Malaya & SG

Question 12

using propaganda

Answer 12

used propaganda to influence the minds of the ppl in SG and gain their loyalty
portrayed themselves as liberators who had come to free Asians from colonial rule
tried to convince locals to accept their vision of the Greater East Co-Prosperity Sphere
where Japan would free Asian nations from control of Western colonial powers
pressed for a united Asia that would benefit from sharing resources collectively
messages spread through posters and radio broadcasts

Question 13

using propaganda (Indian community)

Answer 13

Japanese promised to help free India from British
INA Indian National Army formed with Japanese support (to recruit Indians to fight against British in India)
Led by Subhas Chandra Bose (prominent Indian politician)
charismatic presence attracted many new recruits
However, not all Indians allied with Japanese, many who remained loyal to British imprisoned

Question 14

providing benefits to the locals

Answer 14

schooling and accommodation provided at no cost
e,g. school textbooks provided free of charge to 2000 students in 1944
Japanese appealed to some ethnic groups by giving them favourable treatment
Kesuatan Melayu Muda KMM/ Union of Malay Youth responded positively to Japanese propaganda that promised better lives for Malays under an Asian power
thus, they were treated less harshly by Japanese
e.g. during hari raya puasa, Japanese distributed salt, sugar and rice to less fortunate
Malays and Indians also charged lower fees than Chinese to cross causeway

Question 15

imposing Japanese culture by teaching Japanese language (students)

Answer 15

Students taught to speak and write in Japanese (Nippon-go) in place of English
lessons conducted daily over school’s broadcasting stations
to help students learn Japanese language, Japanese education authorities published a series of Nippon-go readers for beginners
books full of praise for beauty and greatness of Japan

Question 16

imposing Japanese culture by teaching Japanese language (adults)

Answer 16

Apart from students, many adults also had to learn
e.g. teachers required to attend language classes several times a week
also became regular feature in newspaper
competitions, awards, extra rations, salary increments and promotions used to motivate ppl to learn Japanese

Question 17

imposing japanese culture cultivating the japanese spirit

Answer 17

intro of Japanese language went hand in hand with promotion of Nippon seishin (japanese spirit) to foster sense of loyalty and identity
during morning assemblies, students had to sing Kimigayo, the Japanese national anthem
also had to bow before picture of Japanese emperor before day began
taught to sing japanese folk songs
daily mass exercises introduced to locals
broadcast over public radio with instructions and rhythmic music
Japanese emphasised physical education to instil discipline and promote fitness
selected youths received training in traditional Japanese martial arts i.e. kendo and judo to propagate Japanese spirit in schools