Feinder -> RE: Singapore - The British Empire (4/18/2009 3:59:34 PM)
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Well, Sing was a bit of the New York of East - very much a melting pot. There were about 1/4 Chinese, 1/4 Malays, 1/4 Western, and 1/4 Indians. The Chinese did NOT fair well. Many were executed or disappeared. The Indians were initially stockaded, and were later given the choice to join the INA, or remain in captivity. The western (civilians) were largely the merchants and polito of Sing - many were used to attempt to run the local economy (altho it Sing was never nearly as productive as it was pre-war). The Malays were mostly the labor, and they too were largely put back to work. Make no mistake, life in Sing was NOT pleasent. But Japan did recognize it as a major source of commerce, and tried to pursue it as such. But if there are not ships from Euuope trading, there is littel commerce (duh). Life under the imperial rule was definatlely difficult, but Japan did want to pursue the "Greater East Asia CoProsperity Sphere" and thus demponstrate their superior-ness. It didn't work. But life in Sing was certainly not as harsh as it was in other occupied inustrial cities like Manilla. -F-
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