[ Defending the Lion City ] Looking beyond the pomp and circumstance of SAF Day

“We have no enemies now. Why does Singapore need to spend so much money on defense?”

“Why do we need to do National Service (NS)?”

“NS is a waste of my time. It has made me fall behind in my career as compared to my overseas peers.”

“One bomb and Singapore is done for. Why bother with NS/defense/SAF?”

The answer to all these grouses/complaints/questions is actually pretty simple.

This is why.

Skulls, bones and other grisly remains being exhumed from a mass grave of Operation Sook Ching victims in Bedok on June 10, 1966. These remains were ultimately laid to rest at the Civilian War Memorial along Beach Road.

Japanese Troops posed triumphantly in front of the Railway Station, 1942. “昭南驛” translates into “Syonan Station”. (Source)

Japanese Atrocities: Soldiers preparing to shoot prisoners 20 meters away. Photo found amongst Japanese records when British retook Singapore.

 Japanese Atrocities: Photo found amongst Japanese records when British retook Singapore.

Percival & other British Officers carrying the Union Jack to surrender Singapore to the Japanese

Read more here:

Singapore Infopedia - Operation Sook Ching

Biblioasia - The Sook Ching by Goh Sin Tub

AsiaOne - 75 years since Singapore fell: Operation Sook Ching during the Japanese occupation 

Mothership - The Sook Ching (YouTube)

Singapore Infopedia - The Civilian War Memorial

Roots.SG - Civilian War Memorial

Picture.SG - Civilian War Memorial urn

History.SG - Singapore falls to the Japanese

Wikipedia - Battle of Singapore

YouTube: Battle for Singapore

National Museum of Singapore - Surviving Syonan

National Archives of Singapore - The Old Ford Factory (Renamed as 'Syonan Gallery: War and Its Legacies' in Feb 2017.)

Singapore Infopedia - Information related to the Japanese Occupation of Singapore

Straits Times - 'Bitter but valuable lessons' for Singapore from Japanese Occupation: Ng Eng Hen