History of Singapore

The Formation of Singapore

Stamford Raffles' Statue
​in Singapore
For most of its history, the island of Singapore was a fairly insignificant part of the Sultanate of Johor, based in neighboring Malaya. Singapore was established because of Stamford Raffles, who oversaw the potential of Singapore as the perfect location for a new port in the pacific. In 1819, he signed an agreement with the Sultan of Johor to establish a trading post in southern Singapore. Then, in 1826, Singapore became part of the Straits Settlements and officially a British colony, which would be the start of Singapore's tradition as a multicultural entrepot. As Raffles believed in Enlightenment ideals and tried to eliminate slavery, Singapore proliferated in both population and economic influence. Therefore, overtimes, Singapore gradually became one of the most important economic trading posts in the world.

How did Singapore become an important military base? 

As Britain clashed with China in the Opium Wars, Singapore began to be an important naval base and an important stop for any British military expedition moving towards East Asia. Also, ships headed towards battles in the Pacific from Europe would need to pass through the Strait of Malacca, where Singapore locates at. Then, this importance grew over time in the early 1900s as Britain developed what was called “The Singapore Strategy.” This plan placed Singapore at the center of Britain’s plans to control the Pacific and counter Japan’s growing strength. 

The Singapore Strategy

The Singapore Strategy was for Singapore to become an impregnable fortress. Military planners believed at the time that Singapore would be able to hold out against Japan if it advanced through the Pacific. Therefore, during the early twentieth century, the British invested in strengthening Singapore to be a strong military base and an essential center for any military plan of action in the Pacific region. Leading up to the spread of Japan in the Pacific, the British believed that the jungles to the north would stop the advance on the ground, while naval guns and fortifications would stop any attack from the sea. However, the Singapore Strategy would eventually end in complete failure because the naval guns facing the ocean were useless when Japan invaded from overland.

Related Book

Fall of Singapore: 
The Undefeatable British Fortress Conquered

The fall of Singapore is the greatest defeat of the British empire in the Pacific.
​On February 15, 1942, the British surrendered to the Imperial Japanese Army and handed over Singapore and surrounding Malaya countries. The conflict began on December 8, 1941 when Japanese forces bombed Singapore and continued to make their way through the treacherous Malayan jungle. British Prime Minister Winston Churchill stated during the attack, “the worst disaster and the largest capitulation in British history”. Singaporeans were immediately ordered to come in for questioning after the Imperial Japanese Army took over. During the interview, their homes were looted and destroyed by the Kempeitai, the secret Japanese police. 
During the occupation, there were many tragedies. An example is the Sook Ching Massacre. Sook Ching Massacre, literally meaning “purge through cleansing”, began on February 21, 1942. The mass murder of Singapore residents ages 18 to 50, was targeted at eradicating anti-Japanese sentiments. Victims of the massacre were either Chinese, suspected of being pro-Chinese, anti-Japanese, or Communist. Men and women were questioned and if found guilty, they were taken to one of Singapore’s beaches and murdered. The death toll shows less than 5,000 according to the official Japanese record, while Singaporean officials claim the number of victims was at least 50,000.​