JAPANESE OCCUPATION 15 FEBRUARY 1942

Singapore was renamed to 'SYONAN-TO' after  British surrendered to Japan. This Japanese occupation lasted for 3 years and eight months. It was the most horrifying nightmare ever. People suffered and lived in fear of the Japanese. The first thing that the Japanese did was to imprison all the Europeans found all over Singapore. They become Prisoners of War (POW). The POW were kept in various prison camps such as Changi Prison, Selarang Barracks, Sime Road Camp and etc. Life was hard for the POW. Some were sent to Thailand where they were made to construct a railroad. It was dangerous to work on the railroad as the men were given simple tools to cut through rocks. They were made to work long hours and were not given enough food to eat. The railroad was estimated to complete in 5 years. But the POW worked so hard that it was completed in 16 months. The whole project cost the lives of thousands of people who worked on it and it was know as the Death Railway. Those who remained in Singapore in prison camps also suffered a great deal. They were made to clean up the city, bury dead bodies and restore water and electricity supplies. There was a shortage of food. Due to poor health conditions in the prisons, many POW's fell ill and died.
Sources:http://library.thinkquest.org/10414/japan.html                                                  (Date accessed: 14-02-13)