Return to British Rule

When did British take back Singapore?

Douglas Macarthur Signs Formal Surrender on September, 1945, with Lieutenant General A. E. Percival stands behind
Two weeks after the Japanese surrendered to General Douglas MacArthur on the American battleship, Missouri, the Second World War officially ended. Singapore surrendered to the British military on September 12th, 1945. After more than three years of Japanese occupation, the people of Singapore welcomed the return of the British troops. However, their perception of the British drastically changed after witnessing the defeat of the former great Western power by an Asian power.

Immediate Post-War Challenges 

The bombing from the war destroyed shipping ports, railroads, and warehouses. Sunken ships blocked the Singapore Harbor from receiving imported goods, the railroad that connects Singapore to the Malaya Peninsula was demolished, and warehouses were damaged, making shipping products into Singapore inconvenient. Basic goods and necessities were in high demand.
In May 1947, the weekly per capita on rice ration was at an all-time low. However, officials that were already in Singapore were recovering from the trauma of being an internee or prisoner of war and the new officials took advantage of the black market for opportunities. The food shortage continued to be a consistent problem and prices continued to increase.

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.​