All that's left of the outside old Ford Factory is the wonderful art deco exterior.
All that's left of the interior is an accurate reproduction of the surrender table, where the British surrendered to the Japanese, plus chairs from WWII, which might have been the actual chairs used.
The price is a mere Singaporean $3 and free to both Singaporeans (lots of schoolchildren visit) and permanent residents (expats who are long time residents but still hanging onto their birthplace passports, such as British passports, which prevents them from becoming Singaporean).
The museum has a small number of books and gifts on sale at the entrance. To the right is a movie theatre room where you can watch a video of about half an hour which is an overview of WWII, or one of several other films, one of which is two hours long, so it's worthwhile to make repeat visits on your own or with friends, family and tourist visitors.
The overview video explained two things to me:
1 The end of the war was foreseen by locals and the Japanese after the air Battle of Midway, which reduced Japanese air power and like the Battle of Britain was an essential step towards success on the ground for the Allies.
2 a) The Japanese had previously invaded China and because of opposition groups fighting openly or covertly again Japanese in China they regarded the Chinese in Singapore as a potential threat, which is why Chinese deemed political were massacred at the start, in worse danger than the Indian and British or European POWs and civilians.
2) b) Tan Kah Kee, who has a station named after him on the Downtown line was on the Japanese hitlist.
3 The Burma railway was important (to the Japanese) because Burma was the barrier between Thailand (to the north of Malaysia) and India. With lack of access by sea, a land bridge was essential.
On a jollier note, we see how crops were grown locally. Goats provided milk. Pigs and chickens were fed cockroaches. I always wondered what use coach roaches are!
On display is a white wedding dress. Two ladies gave accounts of their wartime weddings.
The Japanese surrender marked the end of WWII. Although food rationing continued, and the buildings had to be rebuilt, it was a chance for the restoration of peace and prosperity.
The war in Europe had already ended about 6 months earlier. The bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, according to the testimony of Singaporean residents, brought a swifter end to the war in Asia.
It was not until decades later that the mass graves of missing Chinese massacred on the beaches and elsewhere were found.
A nice end note is Lee Kuan Yew's dignified and conciliatory commend on the WWII memorial, that is not to recall old enmities but to honour lost ancestors.
Photos being added shortly.
Please share this with anybody who might be interested. I have other posts on varied subjects and videos on YouTube and Facebook and LinkedIn pages.
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.
All that's left of the interior is an accurate reproduction of the surrender table, where the British surrendered to the Japanese, plus chairs from WWII, which might have been the actual chairs used.
The price is a mere Singaporean $3 and free to both Singaporeans (lots of schoolchildren visit) and permanent residents (expats who are long time residents but still hanging onto their birthplace passports, such as British passports, which prevents them from becoming Singaporean).
The museum has a small number of books and gifts on sale at the entrance. To the right is a movie theatre room where you can watch a video of about half an hour which is an overview of WWII, or one of several other films, one of which is two hours long, so it's worthwhile to make repeat visits on your own or with friends, family and tourist visitors.
The overview video explained two things to me:
1 The end of the war was foreseen by locals and the Japanese after the air Battle of Midway, which reduced Japanese air power and like the Battle of Britain was an essential step towards success on the ground for the Allies.
2 a) The Japanese had previously invaded China and because of opposition groups fighting openly or covertly again Japanese in China they regarded the Chinese in Singapore as a potential threat, which is why Chinese deemed political were massacred at the start, in worse danger than the Indian and British or European POWs and civilians.
2) b) Tan Kah Kee, who has a station named after him on the Downtown line was on the Japanese hitlist.
3 The Burma railway was important (to the Japanese) because Burma was the barrier between Thailand (to the north of Malaysia) and India. With lack of access by sea, a land bridge was essential.
On a jollier note, we see how crops were grown locally. Goats provided milk. Pigs and chickens were fed cockroaches. I always wondered what use coach roaches are!
On display is a white wedding dress. Two ladies gave accounts of their wartime weddings.
The Japanese surrender marked the end of WWII. Although food rationing continued, and the buildings had to be rebuilt, it was a chance for the restoration of peace and prosperity.
The war in Europe had already ended about 6 months earlier. The bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, according to the testimony of Singaporean residents, brought a swifter end to the war in Asia.
It was not until decades later that the mass graves of missing Chinese massacred on the beaches and elsewhere were found.
A nice end note is Lee Kuan Yew's dignified and conciliatory commend on the WWII memorial, that is not to recall old enmities but to honour lost ancestors.
Photos being added shortly.
Please share this with anybody who might be interested. I have other posts on varied subjects and videos on YouTube and Facebook and LinkedIn pages.
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.
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