Singapore and the second World War.

11 Aug

It is absolutely fair to say that while the surrender of Germany in 1945 marked a crucial turning point in the West, Eastern Europe, and Africa, the Second World War was far from over for the rest of the world. In Asia, the conflict would last for four more months, a period when hostilities did not lessen in intensity or violence but instead worsened. Outside of Asia, Japanese aggression and atrocities are rarely addressed in Western history, with the collective imagination most often limiting itself to three major events in the Pacific theatre: Pearl Harbor, the Battle of Midway, and the two atomic bombs (1). Yet, the expansionism and brutality of the Japanese occupation easily rival those of the Third Reich (2).

A selective memory and a convenient peace.

One of the main reasons for this lack of awareness is the post-war policy pursued by the United States. In order not to offend the new anti-communist ally that the "liberated" Japan had become, Japanese war crimes and violence were deliberately set aside. Unlike Germany, no denazification plan was put in place for Japan, and there was no equivalent work on the memory of war crimes. The emperor and his family were never put on trial. In contrast, in Germany, the Nuremberg trials symbolised a commitment to international justice, forcing the country to confront its past. Japan did not have to face its imperialism in the same way.Another major difference lies in the treatment of the territory and the population. The Germans experienced foreign troops on their soil, fighting on front lines, and direct military violence at the end of the war. Their territory was devastated and divided. By contrast, Japan, apart from a violent campaign of aerial bombings (including the two atomic bombs), did not suffer a land invasion. The Japanese people, although suffering terribly from the air attacks, did not have to endure direct military occupation and the associated violence on their soil, as was the case in Germany with the Soviet and Allied armies. It was the West which, out of political expediency and a geostrategic agenda, allowed a void to be created, thus erasing the suffering of countless Asian nations. This policy had the consequence of downplaying Japanese atrocities, leaving major events such as the Nanjing Massacre, the Unit 731 which carried out human experiments, and the enslavement of millions of people across Asia in oblivion. This approach not only allowed Japan's image to be quickly rehabilitated but also made reconciliation with neighbouring countries difficult, as they still feel betrayed today by Japan's lack of acknowledgement and remorse (3). The silence imposed on these war crimes has had a lasting impact on international relations in Asia, a legacy whose consequences are still felt today.

An ambivalent awakening, the rise of nationalism.

The first feeling is one of a paradoxical awakening. Although the Japanese occupation was extremely brutal, it indirectly brought an end to the era of Western colonialism in Asia. By driving out European powers such as the United Kingdom, France, and the Netherlands, Japan unintentionally laid the foundations for independence movements. The rise of nationalism in the occupied countries, within the ephemeral "Japanese Co-Prosperity Sphere," served Japanese economic and strategic interests while also instilling a momentum for liberation that would be realised after the war.Japan's victory over the Russian Empire in 1905 had already proven that an Asian nation could defeat a European power. The Second World War confirmed this lesson in a spectacular fashion. Japan's swift expansion and its ability to plunge colonial powers into serious strategic complications shattered the myth of Western omnipotence forever (5). This duality is fundamental: Japan was both an oppressor and, unintentionally, a catalyst for the emancipation of millions of Asians, who saw their Western "masters" humiliated and driven out. The collapse of the colonial empires that followed the conflict owes a great deal to this Japanese "shockwave" (6).

Learning from an ambivalent master.

The second feeling is one of learning. Asia learned lessons from its "former master." Japan emerged from the Middle Ages by modernising at a furious pace and arming itself "in the Western style" (7). It learned to respect the strong in order to copy and be inspired by them. While Africa largely perceived the white man as a profiteering and destructive coloniser, Asia had a more complex view, seeing a coloniser from whom one could also be inspired. By observing and exchanging, nations developed tools for independence and laid the groundwork for their future economic dominance. Japan showed them, by example, that it was possible to modernise without abandoning one's identity, although its own approach was marked by exacerbated nationalism. This learning, paradoxically, was made possible by Japanese aggression, which forced Asian nations to reconsider their place in the world.Japan became the model of a non-Western power capable of leading industrialisation and military strength. This was a source of inspiration for many nationalist leaders in Southeast Asia, who saw the Japanese model as a path to independence and progress.

A lingering injustice, yhe neglected victims and crimes.

The third and most painful feeling is one of injustice. Japan was not merely an occupier, but also a brutal oppressor. Its soldiers behaved as exploiters, rapists, looters, and murderers, leaving a trail of suffering and destruction (8). Many nations, such as Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, and especially China, never saw their tormentors brought to justice in a satisfactory manner, and this lack of redress has left indelible scars.Unlike the Nuremberg trials for Nazi crimes, Japanese war crimes were not the subject of such a publicised and exhaustive campaign of justice and remembrance. The lack of a duty of remembrance imposed on Japan, combined with the obscuration of these atrocities in Western historiography, created a lasting injustice for the victims and their descendants. This feeling of being forgotten and unacknowledged continues to affect relations between Japan and its Asian neighbours, highlighting how far the process of healing and reconciliation is from being complete.

A historical retrospective. The fall of S'pore.

Following a series of dazzling tactical successes in Malaya, Japanese troops launched an assault on Singapore, a British stronghold considered impregnable. On 15 February 1942, against all expectations, the city capitulated, inflicting a stinging humiliation on the British high command. It was a severe blow, not only to British morale but also to the image of Western colonial power. The fall of Corregidor in the Philippines did the same for the Americans, illustrating how underestimated and unprepared the Allied forces were in the face of the Japanese blitzkrieg (9). The struggle was fierce, but victory went to the more skilful and audacious of the two adversaries, who had successfully exploited the strategic weaknesses of the defenders.

Resistance and assimilation, the two faces of the japanese occupation.

The Japanese occupation of Singapore, which the Japanese renamed "Syonan" ("Light of the South"), was seen as a major geostrategic point. A ruthless policy of assimilation was put in place to erase all traces of Western and colonial influence. Japanese became compulsory in schools, the national anthem Kimigayo had to be known by everyone, and a separate Singaporean currency was printed. Residents were forced to bow to Japanese soldiers, and cinema and radio only broadcast Japanese programmes (12). The goal was clear: to make Singapore a full-fledged Japanese colony, fitting into the vision of a "unified" empire under Japan's rule.From the beginning of the occupation, the Japanese considered the Chinese and Indian minorities as a potential fifth column. They then implemented xenophobic and discriminatory policies, named "Sook Ching" ("Purification"), to eliminate any resistance (13). These control measures particularly targeted the Peranakans and Indians, who were accused of having pro-British sympathies (14). The mass executions and brutal repression made this period a dark chapter in the city's history.

Unsung heroes in the face of tyranny.

Despite the repression, many Singaporeans rose to resist. The Japanese occupation gave birth to its first national heroes. The Malay lieutenant Adnan Saidi, who died with honour while defending his country against the invaders (10), is today considered an emblematic figure of patriotism. A commemorative plaque at Kent Ridge Park recalls his act of bravery and that of his men.Similarly, many Peranakans joined the resistance. Among them was the heroine Elizabeth Choy, who, with her husband, helped English prisoners of war (15). Arrested by the Japanese military police, the Kempeitai (16), she endured physical and psychological torture for 200 days without ever revealing any information. In the face of her unwavering courage, and despite the rapes and humiliations, Lieutenant-Colonel Masayuki Oishi, head of the local Kempeitai unit, eventually released her, as the charges against her were not of a military nature (17). Her story is a poignant testament to the strength of the human spirit in the face of oppression.Another major hero from this period was the Eurasian police officer Halford Iovelle Boudewyne. At the risk of his life, he took incredible chances to inform the Allies of Japanese intentions, particularly their belligerent plans against India, and he collected evidence of Japanese war crimes for post-war tribunals (18). These heroic figures, often forgotten in Western history, illustrate the spirit of resistance that animated a part of the Singaporean population, transforming a military defeat into a fight for dignity and freedom.

Conclusion.

The history of the Second World War is often told through a Western lens, with iconic dates that mainly apply to Europe. However, for Asia, the timeline is quite different. The war did not start on 1 September 1939 and end on 8 May 1945. In Asia, it began on 7 July 1937 with the invasion of China by Japan, and only ended on 2 September 1945, with the official surrender of the Japanese Empire.This difference in dates is crucial for understanding the experience of millions of people. Singapore, for example, was militarily occupied from 15 February 1942 to 12 September 1945. The city was only finally handed back to British forces during Operation Tiderace (19), marking the end of three and a half years of suffering and upheaval.However, the damage was done. The British colonial power, despite having regained control, had lost its aura of invincibility. The Japanese occupation had a paradoxical effect on local nationalism: by driving out the Westerners, it not only shattered the myth of their superiority but also sparked a national consciousness among the colonised peoples.Japan, unintentionally, acted as a catalyst. Even though its policy was brutal and oppressive, it fostered the idea that Asian nations could be masters of their own destiny. The resistance movements, initially formed against the Japanese, then served as a basis for the struggles for independence against the former colonisers. This is why, despite a more flexible British colonial policy after the war, anglophone Southeast Asia eventually gained its independence. The Japanese occupation, as destructive as it was, is therefore an indirect consequence that precipitated the collapse of colonial empires in Asia.

Embun.

Notes.

1 : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_war_crimes

2 :https://foreigndispatches.typepad.com/dispatches/2005/04/japanbashing_op.html

3 : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russo-Japanese_War

4 : https://afe.easia.columbia.edu/special/japan_1750_meiji.htm

5 : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fall_of_Singapore

6 : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Corregidor

7 : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adnan_Saidi

« Biar putih tulang, jangan putih mata » ou « death before dishonor ».

8 : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_occupation_of_Singapore

9 : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kimigayo