Reflections

Gideon's Reflection: 

The learning journey has terrified me because of the punishment that is given by the Japanese. This has evoked the emotion of wanting freedom more than ever and would go through any ways to get my freedom.  We should not get arrogant ‘Singapore is a very safe country no one would attack it’. We should instead be prepared at all times. Everything takes preparation but safety should be prepared once you know the importance.

I learnt that we should stay calm at all times. If not participating in a war, we should search for shelter. If we were to fight, we should defend shelters from far so that no one would enter. Though participating in war is important, I find that those people should patrol for other citizens and to get them to safety.

Yik Leong' Reflection:

Before I went on the learning Journey.I thought as long as a country had a strong military defense,it would be secure and peaceful.From the learning journey,I learnt that a capable government is needed to rule the country well so that the citizens will live in peace.During the Japanese Occupation of Singapore,the Japanese did not care about the well being of the people in Singapore.Instead,they were selfish and did things that mainly benefited themselves,even if it was at the expanse of others.They killed,totured and carried out violence on people.Singapore is what it is today because of the hard work put in by the Singapore government.

I have learnt that in times of crisis,we must be strong and persevering. We must also care for our fellow comrades.The only way to survive a crisis is to work together and overcome all odds.One such example is the drawing Two Malarias with a Cholera.The two people infected with Malaria are helping the person infected with Cholera,supporting him as he is too weak to walk by himself.This shows their spirit of perseverance and determination to survive even though they are sick and weak,even though they are totured badly and mistreated by the Japanese.From now on,I will be strong and never give up. I will try my best in everything.

Shan Wei's Reflection:

From the Learning Journey, I now know that loyal soldiers and even every people of the country play a part in securing the country and allowing the country to be a safe haven from other threats. We also need trust in each other and not betray each other and give information to the invading country when held as a POW during war. This learning journey also taught me that if we have a positive spirit, we can cheer one another up in the concentration camps and hold activites. One value i have learnt during the Learning Journey about responding in times of crisis is to be positive at all times. This is shown by the POW who held activites among each other to cheer up in the concentration camp and lift the mood up instead of being moody in the camps.

Markus' Reflection:

From this learning journey, I have learnt to keep calm in a dire situation as by keeping calm, there would be a fair choice on what to do instead of making a choice when you are not thinking properly. Such examples are from how Elizabeth choy had treated the war calmly and instead of running away, went to provide food to the Pow and got caught herself. But however even though she was caught, she still went on and helped other prisoners, giving them hope and a desire to live.

The history reflection combine is' From the learning journey, I have learnt that having good soliders are not enough to have a strong country. I learnt that many factors are needed to build a safe,strong and peaceful country such as having the loyalty of the citizens. With that in mind, the ruler will be able to keep peace within his country and prevent rebellion. Also, maintaining a good relationship with other country is also a key factor on secure country as this would mean that there would be alliance and also there would be a less likelihood of having a war with those country. Through this learning journey, I have learnt countless of things and it also changed my mindset on how to rule a country. From this learning journey, I have learnt to keep calm in a dire situation as by keeping calm, there would be a fair choice on what to do instead of making a choice when you are not thinking properly. Such examples are from how Elizabeth choy had treated the war calmly and instead of running away, went to provide food to the Pow and got caught herself. But however even though she was caught, she still went on and helped other prisoners, giving them hope and a desire to live.

Jiong Rui's Reflection

To have a secure and peaceful country, the soldier must be willing to fight to the last man. Adnan Saidi's forces is a good example of this. He is a strong and good commander during the battle for Singapore. He fought at Pasir Pajang until the he himself was killed by the Japanese. The defence of a nation or country is crucial to ensure that it is strong to face and overcome any coming threats. With a weak defence, the country will definitely fall within a few days, just like Singapore fell to the Japanese in 1942. However, when the army can hold their positions well, the enemy could be halted in their tracks.The citizens of Singapore, including myself, should not shrug off any thoughts like "No one will attack us." We must be prepared at all times. Total defence should be implemented during an attack.

We must care and concern each other during times of crisis. Elizabeth Choy and Lim Bo Seng both care for the people around them in their cell more than themselves. They persisted in times of great sufferance by their captors, from severe blows to electric shocks.They overcome their obstacles, one at a times. Elizabeth Choy was able to survive prison captivity as she has the will to survive. These war heroes gave hope to the prisoner around them. I learnt to never give up in the face of difficult situations. I also learnt to care for others around me. 

Lim Bo Seng War Diary

July 8 1937

The cruel Japanese just declared war on my homeland just yesterday. I could not believe that the Japanese would want to declare war on my homeland. They had already annexed the Korean Empire and they still wanted more land from us? My friends and I today were participating in anti-Japanese activities, such as the boycotting of goods-to hurt the Japanese economy-so they were unable to fund the war. To help our people, we also did fund raising to support war effort against the Japanese. I hope that we could drive the Japanese back and crush the Japanese advance and effort.   

November 29 1937

Many Japanese-owned industries that are in Singapore and Malaya are suffering from many strikes from Chinese workers. I realised that there is a tin mine in Dungun in Malaya owned by the Japanese. They could be making weapons using the tin as they shipped the tin to Japan. If the miners and workers there went on a strike, the Japanese could suffer from a lack of tin, that could delay weapon production. I decided to plan this operation out. 

16 February 1938

With the assistance of Hui Quan and local police, the workers went on to strike and left the mine to follow us to Singapore. The plan was well-carried out. I am quite pleased by the effects of the strike. There is still a couple of workers that are still striking. We'll have to wait for them to follow us back to Singapore. 

11 February 1942

I'm sorry that I haven't written a war diary entry for 4 years. I was too busy organizing the Straits Settlements Volunteer Force and fighting the Japanese. In the chaos, I lost my diary. I just found it before I boarded the submarine for India, tucked away in the corner. However, I made a difficult decision a few hours ago. I had to leave my beloved family to save myself. I have had to leave my family in certain danger but I had no choice. I am very sad. I do not want my family to die.... I have much to write about the war so far in Malaya and Singapore. Despite the British forces coming from Australia and the many erected military installments such as gun batteries and bunkers, the Japanese still managed to push us back all the way from Kota Bahru in Malaya to Pasir Pajang in Singapore. Our forces are literally being cut into corpses. The  Can the British manage to contain the Japanese advance into Singapore City? I doubt it. With many of our airfields captured and military supplies seized by the shrewd Japanese, Singapore City will fall very quickly. The reservoirs are also captured and pipelines are bombed by the Japanese. I hope that the British will be able to resupply the troops by sea from the colonies of New Zealand and Australia. Perhaps the British could push the Japanese back and defend until more troops and supplies arrived. I would like to see the Japanese lose a major battle. The war in China is going good, my fellow people resisting. With resistance everywhere, the Japanese can't advance anywhere. So far, the war for my people is going good. The British could do with more enforcement in Singapore to defend it from the invading Japanese and I hope that my family will still be alive. Now, I am in a submarine en route for Sumatra and then, to India with other Chinese community leaders.

12 June 1942

The Japanese almost have complete control of the Pacific Theatre. The Japanese have almost full control of Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands with the exception of Port Moresby. The Japanese has gotten so far as to bomb Darwin in Australia. But their advance has halted during the battle of the Coral Sea. I hope that the Americans and British forces can push the Japanese eventually back to their homeland.  I'm in India now. I was recently busy recruiting and training hundreds of secret agents through intensive military intelligence in China and India. I have formed the Sino-British guerrilla task force 'Force 136'. 

24 May 1943

The force's first operation is under way. It is aimed to establish espionage network in Malaya and Singapore. The first of the force's agents entered the fray in Perak. I hope that the operation will be a success. I shall wait to find out.....

2 November 1943

I have finally arrived on Malaya on the 2nd of November, 1943. I am under the alias "Tan Choon Lim". It seems that I would have to travel as my alias to prevent identification by the Japanese. Hopefully, the very first of my fellow agents code named "Gustavus I" would be able to rendezvous with the Dutch O 24 and will be able to transfer supplies and personnel. 

2 April 1944

The operation failed. I am now in prison. I could not believe that my training cannot prepare my agent for this operation properly. I have been captured at the Gopeng roadblock by the Japanese military police. Just now, I was beaten countless times and subjected to much pain from the Kempeitai at the interrogation centre. My captor asked me question regarding Force 136. I must remain loyal to the force. I must not leak out information just to spare my life. I rather die than reveal much about the Force 136 and its operation. I protested against the Japanese for ill-treating the prisoners at the prison I am in. Punishments by the Japanese were harsh and they didn't deserve it. I definitely deserve it more than them. 

29 May 1944

I have now ill with dysentery. It is impossible for me to recover from this. The dirty and wet living conditions of the cell are taking its toll from me. Death was a certainty. I have now bedridden; too weak to move anymore. This is the end of me, but definitely my sacrifice will never be in vain for Force 136 and China.

History Project 'War Diaries from Elizabeth Choy'

Elizabeth Choy's War Diary

9 September 1943

Today was another exciting day for me and my husband. My husband, Khun Heng, and I were smuggling bread, basic medicine, if we could find some, money and parcels containing bare essentials every two weeks or so into Changi Prison. My husband and I were pitied the prisoner held there. We heard that prisoners there were not particularly well-treated. So, we managed to buy some medicine for a large sum of money.

As we had very little banana notes left, we had to buy what we could afford for these prisoners. We were also trying our best to find food for the poor prisoners.The quality and quantity of rations were abysmal. However, we decided to smuggle a fraction of our rations for prisoners. At least they had something to eat there. At home, we found old clothes that both of us did not wear anymore. We thought to give them to the prisoners. I remembered vividly the last time we went to smuggled in some money for the prisoners two week ago. The stench of the clothing could be smelled from miles away. Giving them some fresh clothing would definitely maintain their will-which was very crucial for them to survive their captivity in one of the worst prison in Japanese-occupied Singapore.

With our old, but fresh and clean clothes, medicine and a couple of slices of bread, we set off for Changi Prison. After a long walk in the Singaporean humid and sunny weather, we could see it over in the horizon. We walked silently and stealthily towards Changi Prison without alerting the patrol and watch-out. We finally, after about 15 minutes of walking, we were at the barbed wire fence. The fence, a tall, sharp finished with lethal barbs looked menacing to us. When I look at it before, I thought how could me and my husband managed to smuggle in things for the prisoners. Now, the barbed fence was an easy obstacle to overcome. The larger obstacle was not to let Japanese patrol know that we are here. Any Japanese patrol that saw us would throw us both into captivity. Thanks to my husband sharp eagle eyes, we spotted some elephant grass to hide in. Any patrol would not be able to see us now. Due to the tall elephant grass, on both sides did not know that there was a small hole in the fence was pierced open by the many Banyan tree roots. We pushed in the small bags of medicine, clothes and food and signaled for the a British entree to come and collect without the Japanese knowing.

Suddenly, we heard sounds of footsteps. "It must be the patrol!" my husband told me. Glancing around, I managed to locate the patrol, three man strong armed with a fearsome arsenal of pistol, guns and bayonets. We decided to hide in the thick bush of elephant grass and lie flat on the brown earth. Thankfully, the Japanese did not see us. They walked past, causing my husband and I to give out a sigh of relief. We then waited for a few minutes before we ran out, but this time through the dense jungle back.

10 October 1943

Today could be the most saddening and depressing day of my life. The Kempeitai went to the Tan Tock Seng Hospital. My husband was there, cleaning the plates when they came. They grabbed his hand and pushed him out. I asked them, in Japanese,"Why are you arresting my beloved husband?!" I grabbed my husband other hand to pull him back. The Kempeitai didn't answer. A tall, stocky Kempeitai pushed me away, leaving me no choice to let go of my handsome husband's hand.  By the time, I managed to catch up to them, I saw that they were very far away in distance. It was an impossible task for me to catch up, I thought. My face has sadness written all over it. My face was filled with tears. My husband...where was he...

After a while, I finally realised that my husband could be in prison...or be executed.

The curiosity was killing me.

13 October 1943

Just now, I have just been in the Kempeitai Headquarters, the former YMCA building. I want to ask about my husband. Where is he? Has he died? Was he tortured severely? How was he? Entering the building, I saw the art-decor-style interior of the building. I saw a short but fit Kempeitai and I asked him about my husband. 

"Where is my husband?" I asked desperately.

"I don't know anything about your husband." he answered with a default monotone.

"How is he?" I asked, again, hopeful to get an answer.

"I don't know anything about him!" he answered with a louder, more stern voice.

I bombarded him with questions about my husband. Despite my efforts, he denies knowledge of him. I thanked him, to prevent punishment, and walked out of the YMCA building. I started thinking wishfully. Maybe my husband is alive. Maybe my husband is treated decently. My mind was riddled with thoughts. My curiosity was ignited more and more. I couldn't control my emotions.

31 October 1943

I was finally able to manage a smile in 2 months. A Japanese man, probably a Kempeitai, told me that the Kempeitai wanted to tell me some details of my husband. All I had to do was go to the Kempeitai headquarters to find out. I walked to the YMCA building anxiously. Hopefully, my husband is still alive, I thought to myself. When I walked there, the short Kempeitai immediately recognized my face and stopped me.

Suddenly, the guards grabbed me. I tried my best to break free. However, my efforts were all to no avail. The guard's iron-like grasp pushed me into a cell. I had been captured. I'm currently in a stinky, small and cramped cell where 20 other male prisoners were also held in. I glanced around. I realised that I was the only female prisoner in this cell. The 'toilet' consists of a tap and a hole. Due to the tight space in the cell, there was no privacy whatsoever. Our businesses were all conducted in full view of every prisoner in the cell. Looking around more closely, there were puddles of stagnant water around the cell. The stench was coming from perspiration and human waste. No matter what....I must maintain the will to survive this captivity.

14 February 1944 

Today, I was again as always stuck with the same 20 prisoners in this stinky cell. Interrogation happens commonly and the pain from water torture, beatings and electric shocks is a horrific experience. Today, I had to crawl through a small trapdoor to get interrogated by the Japanese torturers. The routine was the same every time. Our captors would ask us questions to get information from us. If they get no information from us whatsoever, they would torture you with many mind numbing methods,

Today, I am going to be interrogated. Our captors asked me what and how I smuggled into Changi Prison. I refused to answer. It would be against my will to answer the most basic questions that the Japanese would ask me. Now, my captors were about to pump water in my body. This was not a particularly good feeling to have water be pumped into my body, I thought. I shivered as the water hose started pumping water into my mouth. My stomach was getting filled with water. The feeling was terrible. Moments later, the water flow stopped. However, my stomach was brimming with water. I felt dizzy. I wanted to throw up. Suddenly, the water gushed out from my mouth. I closed my eyes tightly. I did not want to see the water come out from my mouth. When I thought the interrogation was over, the interrogator  continued the interrogation by asking me more smuggling related question. All which I denied and refused to answer a single question.

He called for another guard nearby in Japanese,"Bring her husband from Cell Block C now!"

"Yes, sir!" replied the guard immediately.

Wait, what? This is different; they never called my husband to come to YMCA building for torture. Moreover, how is that torturous? We could finally be reunited together after many months. Although my face showed sadness, my heart was singing cries of joy for my husband to come.

After what seemed what eternity for me, my husband finally arrived. He had been dragged from the another cell to the YMCA building here. When I saw him, my eyes lit up with joy and happiness. However, all was not as it was, as the Japanese told him to kneel in front of me. Now, what? The interrogator, took the cut electric wire and was poised to shock me with electricity....in front of my husband! Before I knew it, the shock came. My body shook countless times and I could hear my husband crying nearby. I felt shameful. We were both getting tortured at the same time. After every shock, came a question for me to answer...which I would never answer. More and more shocks hit my body at different angles and positions. I felt compelled to answer but I couldn't waste my efforts to resist the interrogation before. My husband turned away, but the ferocious Kempeitai next to him forced him to face me and look at me. After one hour of hardcore torture on me and husband, they ceased the interrogation...for now. My husband was now dragged back to his cell. However, I could hear him crying over the distance. How could captivity be any worse...

15 May 1944

I was called out by the Japanese. I thought I am going to interrogated again. I felt a sinking feeling in my gut. However, the Japanese pointed to the exit of the YMCA building. Am I free? I think I am. As I walked out, that was no Japanese to put me back into my cell. I am free! I am finally able to feel the heat of the sun after more than 6 months. It seemed that I escaped from the very depths of hell.