How Was Life After The Japanese Occupation?

Answer 1

The people of Singapore were relieved when they heard about the surrender of the Japanese in 1945. They thought that life would improve after the return of the British. However, they continued to suffer even after the war.......

Prices of food items increased to ten times the prices before the war and people sold things at the black market. Many people were hungry and unhappy. Some even searched through the rubbish heaps in the hope of finding something edible or usable. They were pitiful as there might not be any chance of finding anything edible or useable as they would be searching through the dirty rubbish heaps for nothing.

Many people were poor and life was hard for them. Some people did odd jobs while others became hawkers, selling anything they could get their hands on. If they do not do so they could not survive easily.

The bombing of Singapore by the Japanese caused many houses to collapse. Others were damaged. There was a shortage of houses, so rents increased. Many people could not afford the high rents. Often, as many as ten people crammed into a small room. Living conditions were unhealthy and diseases such as tuberculosis spread easily.

The poor public health was also a result of the war. Bombs created pot-holes in the roads which bred mosquitoes and flies. These insects reproduced rapidly and spread diseases among the people. There were many illnesses such as tuberculosis, yellow fever and dengue. There were not enough doctors and equipment to treat the ill.

There was a shortage of water and electricity in Singapore. Most of the machinery used to filter and pump water was damaged during the war. Moreover, water pipes in building burst. As a result, there was not enough water for the people. People had to be careful about how they handle water. Machinery for generating electricity was also damaged. With little electricity, the streets were unsafe at night as they were not lit and there were many cases of robbery.

Food was rationed. Each family was allowed to buy only a small amount of food so that every family would have food. Children were given free food at some food distribution centres. The British made agreements with other countries to supply rice and other foodstuffs to Singapore in exchange for rubber.

The government loaned money to businessmen to help them start businesses. It promised to buy what these businesses imported, like food and clothing. The government also started trading with neighbouring countries again. When trade took place, there were more jobs for people.

The British government repaired the machinery needed to generate electricity and pump water so as to restore the supply of electricity need water. Water pipes that had burst were also fixed. Gas pipes that were leaking were located and repaired.

The communists present in Singapore added to the post-war problems. They were dissatisfied with what the British had done to improve the lives of the people. They aimed to gather the support of the local people against the British.

The communists took advantage of the post-war problems and started to stir up the people's feelings against the British. Through trade unions, they encouraged the workers to fight for better working conditions and higher pay.

However, the workers gradually grew tired of going on strikes. Those who did not succeed in their strikes found themselves worse off as they received no pay at all when they went on strike. Many workers went on strike in 1946 and 1947. There were so many outbreaks of strikes that 1947 was known as "The Year of Strikes".

They also realised that the communist-controlled trade unions were not genuine in fighting for the workers' rights. They were more interested in stirring up trouble for the employers.

The communists were successful in stirring up anti-British feelings in the Chinese school students. Whenever the students were unhappy with the British government, they held demonstrations. For example, in May 1954, some Chinese school students demonstrated against the colonial government's decision to make young do part-time military service. The demonstration eventually led to rioting and the police had to resolve the problem.

When the government closed down the Singapore Chinese Middle School Students' Union in October 1956, the Chinese school students were agitated. The arrest of four Chinese school students and expulsion of students who were involved in Communist activities made things worse. The Chinese school students reacted by starting a riot.

The student protestors were later joined by some workers. Riots by the students and workers broke out in many parts of the city. Public transportation was made impossible. The army was called to help the police stop the riots. They set up roadblocks to keep the crowds small and managed to stop the riots. Despite this, the communists continued its violent activities until 1960. The Emergency then came to an end in that very year.

Answer 2

Life after Japanese occupation varied by country, but generally involved rebuilding economies and infrastructure, establishing new governments, and dealing with the aftermath of war. Many countries experienced significant social, political, and economic changes as they transitioned to independence or were rebuilt by colonial powers. The scars of war and occupation often left deep and lasting impacts on societies and people's lives.