Did the Japanese Occupation bring changes to the lives of teens?
Individual Contribution 1 - Ivonne Chia (2E4) Aspect: Education
LIM Choo Sye Japanese Occupation of Singapore, Accession Number 000330
Q1. What is the source all about? Give a description of the source.
LIM Choo Sye shares his school experiences during the Japanese Occupation. He had to bring food to school for recess due to the scarcity of foodstuff towards 1944. He also talked about the School's celebration of Emperor's birthday. Syonan Teachers Association - how it started, the purpose of existence. LIM Choo Sye also talked about the differences in teaching before and during Japanese Occupation.
Q2. Explain how the source is relevant to the aspect of life that you are focussing on. What does it show about the situation in pre-Jap Occupation and/or during Japanese Occupation
The source is relevant as it shows how education was like during the Japanese Occupation. The source shows us how the students and teachers had to adjust to attending school during the Japnese Occupation, bringing food for their recesses. It also shares differences in his experiences in teaching before and during the Japanese Occupation.; the fear, uncertainty, and worry.
Memories of Mum - self-starter resilience through difficult times
Q1. What is the source all about? Give a description of the source.
The source is about a memory of Lee Bee Khim's mother during her education years. Her mother was enrolled in Fairfield Methodist Girls' School when during she was 6 but had to stop school when the Japanese school took over. She had to change schools to attend that time Japanese school.
Q2. Explain how the source is related to the aspect of life that you are focussing on. What does it show about the situation in pre-Japanese Occupation and/or during Japanese Occupation?
The source is relevant as it tells me about how students during the Japanese Occupation had to leave their former schools and attend schools that learned Japanese. The writer's mother did not remember what she had learned and one reason was that she did not want to remember the occupation years. This showed that education was disrupted for the youths when Japanese came and they could not continue learning what they have been previously
Social changes during Japanese Occupation (Education: 1.30 onwards)
Q1. What is the source all about? Give a description of the source.
The video tells me about the social changes during Japanese Occupation, mainly on education. The Japanese language was taught in schools. Students had to learn, speak and write Japanese. They had to also sing the Japanese national anthem Kimigayuy every morning and do a physical exercise called Radio Taiso.
Q2. Explain how the source is relevant to the aspect of life that you are focussing on. What does it show about the situation in pre-Jap Occupation and/or during Japanese occupation?
The video shows the changes in schools brought about by the Japanese Occupation, how they got students to adjust to the Japanese language, national anthem, and culture of physical exercise. The source helps me understand that the students during that time had to face many changes in terms of the school system and culture. I also learn that they had to be immersed in the Japanese culture in schools to acquire the Japanese values, spirit, discipline, and loyalty to the Emperor.
TAN Ban Cheng (Dr) 陈万清 Japanese Occupation of Singapore, Accession Number 000392
Q1. What is the source all about? Give a description of the source.
From Page 5 of the transcript of the oral history, Tan Ban Cheng shares his school experiences during the Japanese Occupation.
He has returned to old school when schools re-opened. Subjects taught had an emphasis on physical education and Japanese language. There were no serious study or examination. Tan Ban Cheng also attended evening classes at Queen Street School to study the Japanese language where they had no age limit. He also described the Japanese teachers to have friendly attitudes.
Q2. Explain how the source is relevant to the aspect of life that you are focussing on. What does it show about the situation in pre-Jap Occupation and/or during Japanese Occupation
The source is relevant as it shows how education was like during the Japanese Occupation. The source shows us how the Japanese conducted lessons in schools where they had to learn the Japanese language and lessons were taught in Japanese. The Japanese also removed subjects like English as they didn't want any Western Influence in schools. The teachers were also described to be old. They were also learning Japanese as they taught the students. This tells me that the Japanese were strict in getting everyone to learn the Japanese language which is different from the pre- Japanese occupation where the students get to learn many other subjects and them being taught in the English language.
