Thursday 14 February 2013

Sook Ching massacre (18 Feb 1942 to 4 March 1942)

Do you remembered last post that at the end of my previous post I was talking about a massive manhunt for Chinese spies among Chinese man during the Japanese Occupation.
Well on this post I am going to talk about it and the massive manhunt was named the Sook Ching Operation.

This is by far based on my perspective as the most bloodiest man slaughter event ever conducted in the world. Why you may ask? Because this operation involves many innocent lives being framed by the Japanese as Chinese spies and killed or beheaded them without an explanation. Victims who were beheaded will have their heads displayed on certain areas of the island to spread fear among those who dare tried to oppose with the Japanese Occupation. Fortunately, only few Chinese men who were asked by the Japanese army to fall into the trap managed to evade them. One of them was Lee Kuan Yew. There were a few reasons why Singapore was picked by the Japanese as the number one spot for killing of spies.
 Firstly, Singapore had been the center in the collection of ethnic Chinese donations to Chongqing to fight against the Japanese.
Secondly, the Japanese wanted to get rid of people who possessed firearms to prevent disruption of peace during the Japanese Occupation.
And lastly third, it's because of any form of Chinese Resistances against the Japanese Occupation like activists in the China Relief Fund and Tan Kah Kee, leader of the Nayang National Salvation Movement


Anyway, these killings do not take place in the public as it will cause dispute to others whom were not involved but the victims were taken to a truck and drove them to areas which were uncommon at that time. One of those notable areas that the killings took place were Changi Beach, Punggol Beach and even your favourite local island resort Sentosa. The now current Changi Beach Park was one of the most brutal killings in Singapore history. On 20 Feb 1942, 66 Chinese males were lined in order at the edge of the sea and BANG goes their life. Those Chinese males were at the aged between 18 and 50 so Chinese males below 14 at that time can considered themselves as fortunate. Not only Sook Ching massacre happens in Singapore, it was soon extended to Malaya particularly Penang but the Japanese weren't interested in rural areas as the population was less concentrated and couldn't bring up a full screening for Chinese spies in those areas. It was said that the number of people who got killed during this massacre was between 50 000 to
100 000 men but the death toll needs more investigation. According to Lee Kuan Yew, he said that 70 000 or perhaps as high as 90 000 but verifiable numbers would be 70 000 men got killed.
After the Japanese surrendered, the British authorities in Singapore held war crimes trial for perpetrators on 7 Japanese officers. One of them was Takuma Nishimura who was the general of the Imperial Japanese Army.
Takuma Nishimura (Above)
Today, they were no more killing massacre but the Sook Ching massacre will be remembered in the Singapore history as one of the most brutal killings in Singapore

        The video (above) gives more details about the Sook Ching Massacre (Note: It's almost a hour long)


Website: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sook_Ching_massacre (Source) ( Date accessed 14 Feb 2013)
              https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRS51StHJGY (Video) ( Date accessed 14 Feb 2013)
              http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Takuma_Nishimura (Image) ( Date accessed 14 Feb 2013)  


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