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In my opinion, the tense situation between the government and the bus workers is caused by lack of understanding on the government's part. The government did not understand that the circumstances had changed after World War 2, the people would no longer tolerate the same measure used before the war due to the introduction of new ideas such as communism and independence. The government had also underestimated the influence and capabilities of the Malayan Communist Party, thus allowing the communist a chance to wreck havoc in Singapore by furthering the divide between the British and the Chinese citizens. However, as stated in the video, the Hock Lee Bus Company had many workers and were earning little profit, resulting in the low pay of the bus workers.

When the bus workers went on strike and made a human barricade at the entrance of the Hock Lee headquarters, the government had decided to deal with this issue by sending out police to disperse the crowd with the use of water canons. In the process, the police had unintentionally injured several bus workers and this only upset the bus workers even more and rally more support from the other Chinese unions. The unintentional violence of the British's response served as a trigger for the riots. This would eventually result in four fatalities and thirty-one injured.

The Hock Lee Bus Riots demonstrates the importance of negotiation between parties to maintain a peace if mind and avoid unnecessary violence. It also shows that if the government does not make a conscious effort to connect with the citizens, this will cause a divide between the two and the government could easy Los control of the people to other stronger influences.

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After an insight into the happenings of the Hock Lee bus riots, I have gained a better understanding of post-war Singapore and the government ways of control.

I felt that the British were ineffective in gaining trust from the workers and the citizens of Singapore. They hardly made any effort in getting Singaporeans to their side and getting them to support their government. The government had not even confirmed that the workers were communists, they simply assumed that they were communists and decided that they should be dealt with severely.

The methods used to dealt with the workers were too harsh and unnecessary. Even if they wanted to disperse the crowd and stop the riot, they should not have used the powerful hoses to cause casualties. I feel that this was what angered the people the most and drove them into killing Andrew.

However, the rioters were also at fault as they did not step into the shoes of their companies' boss. If they had looked at the situation from the point of view of the company, they would have realized that times were hard and they were not the only victims of the harsh living conditions and meager salary. They company were taking in as many workers as they could afford, thus they should be grateful that they at least had a job and not wandering around in the streets begging for spare change.

This made me realize the safety and security in Singapore is only through the blood and sweat of our ancestors and we should cherish it.

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The video has helped me to gain a better understanding of the Hock Lee Bus Riots. The Hock Lee bus riot was extremely violent and bloody.

The riot took place after world war 2 and during that period of time, people were living in hardship and suffering. There was already discontentment with the British for failing to protect Singapore and because bus drivers' salaries were low and working conditions were poor, this led to a harmless strike that is led by Fong Swee Suan and Lim Chin Siong.

To handle this situation, the British resorted to violence and chose to use force to try to stop the riots by using water canons and batons, causing many protestors to be injured. Therefore, the workers gained sympathy from the public and. and this agitated even more people. I felt that the British could have handled the situation better. They could have showed more concern and understanding in this matter.

However, bus workers should also understand the fact that the company did not have enough money to raise their salary as they are asking for more than what the company brings in.

From this video, I learnt that we must not take for granted the harmony and peace we have in Singapore now and also the good governance as other countries may not have a good government like Singapore does who takes good care of their citizens.

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After watching the episode on Hock Lee bus riots, I have learned that we cannot take Singapore's current state for granted, and that we must be grateful to the changes and hard times Singapore went through to get to this stage that we are today.

I think that during the riot, there were many misunderstandings between the government and bus workers , which led to rising tension. the bus workers merely wanted a higher pay to support themselves and their family and better working conditions.

however, the crowd got agitated when the police tied to disperse them. the police then used water cannons and batons, getting more violent . the British did not really take to account about the safety of Singaporeans and did not do much about the matter. soon, the situation got worse and more physical as public sympathized with the workers, resulting into many getting hurt.

I felt that the British dealt with this situation very poorly when they could have talked it out with the bus workers peacefully. doing that might have prevented serious injuries and probably an agreement between both parties.

watching this video has also made me realize that we should never take Singapore's peace and harmony for granted and that there might be misunderstandings between each other at times. one must always talk things through before making rash and dangerous deisions.

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I feel that this video s very useful as it provides us with further insight into the Hock Lee bus riots. It shows us the feelings of the communists and students, and the citizen's feelings towards these riots. It made me realize that the British were also mainly at fault, in how they dealt with the protesters and how they treated the people. I think that the British should have tried to build up trust in the people of Singapore, as this led to citizens thinking that the government did not care for their welfare. This lack of communication led to them not realizing that most of the workers at that time were pro-communists, further leading to huge riots in which many were killed due to their brusque way of dealing with the communists and rioters. The workers just wanted to raise their meager salary, sacking them was not necessary nor was it a proper way of satisfying the workers. This is proved by the workers joining the communists and fanning up what was originally just a spark.

However, the workers should have realized that the company did not have enough money even if they wanted to pay them more. The past chairman of the Hock Lee buses said, "My company can only bring in so much money, and you are asking for more than what I bring in, how do I run the company? When a company has too many workers, it is very difficult to control them; they keep asking for better terms". Although the communists had a good reason to go on strike, they should have realized that the other side too, had their hands tied.

This video has taught me to be grateful for the current government we have now, and to appreciate what our past leaders had done. Many Singaporeans complain that they do not trust the government and they no longer care about their welfare, but this problem is nothing compared to how the British ruled and controlled the citizens, treating locals with disdain and discriminating the Chinese, who were a large percentage of the population. They viewed Singapore as nothing but a port to earn money, and the citizens were pawns and workers at their disposal. So, we should never forget the hardships that Singapore faced to become independent and to always appreciate what we have before complaining about what we don't.

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After watching this episode of Hock Lee bus riots, I have gained deeper insights on the darkest periods of Singapore. I have learnt that Singapore went through an extremely tough journey to become what it is today. Peace, harmony and independence did not come easy and we should be grateful for what we have.

In the past, the workers were treated very badly by the British. The British did not care about the welfare of them. The working conditions were poor, the pay was low and this caused unhappiness in the workers. This lead to a strike lead by Fong Swee Suan and Lim Chin Siong. This was merely a peaceful strike for higher pay and better working conditions. When the police attempted to disperse the crowd, this caused the people to be agitated. The police then used water cannons and batons to disperse the crowd. Many protestors were injured in this process and this has gained the public’s sympathy for the protestors. Chinese students were also deployed to support the workers.

I felt that the British were too brutal dealing with this weapon-less workers.  This was definitely a wrong move by the British as instead of dosing the strike, they worsened the situation. More people went to support the strikers and this was the start of the fatal riot. Innocent lives were taken in this riot. An example was Andrew teoh who just happened to take the wrong road and was mistaken as a traitor and eventually beaten to death. He only wanted to pick his wife up from work and he had to suffer such horrific death.

When the police accidentally shot down a student, the other protestors took advantage of this situation and marched around to promote communism. They did not care about the injured protestor and indirectly caused his death.

The British should have showed more concern to the chinese and do their best to give in to their demands. They should not show favouritism and treat the English better than the chinese. This would cause the chinese to breed anti-british feelings.

From this riot, I learnt that we have to truly appreciate the harmony and peace that we have in today’s Singapore. I am grateful that Singapore now is an independent country with a strong government who cares a lot for citizens. Singapore have grown so much since the early days and the peace we currently have is not to be taken advantage of. This riot is a reminder to people never to take things for granted.

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The video I have just watched has let me better understand Singapore's history and the type of issues faced in the 20th Century. There was a period of unrest after World War 2 where many riots broke out. One of the more outstanding ones was the Hock Lee Bus Riots, as featured in the video.

It all began with a simple strike to raise their pays as the workers were unsatisfied with them. However, this led to 229 of them being sacked from the company. As the tension escalated, it soon broke out into a riot.

They laid on the road where the buses were supposed to exit. They were very daring and unafraid of death. However, if they had been more understanding, this would not have happened.

Just as one of them had said, the colonial government was too brutal when dealing with such issues. To disperse the crowd and break through the human barrier the workers formed, they took out the water cannons and shot the protesters, resulting in many getting hurt. There was a lot of waste, debris and stones on the ground at that time. The stones flew up, as a result of the impact from the water, and hit the workers, causing many to get hurt. Instead of resolving the problem by doing so, the workers gained sympathy from the public and the problem worsened.

I feel that the government could have better handled the problem and they should not have resorted to physical means. They could have resolved it on friendly terms and not resort to violence.

The Hock Lee Bus Riots has taught me not to take our peace and stability now for granted. Watching the video has made me realized the chaos that can happen in our country when there are many misunderstandings and when physical means are brought into the picture. Our peace did not come by chance and so we should cherish it. I have also learnt that violence is never the solution to any problem.

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After watching the video on the Hock Lee Bus Riots, I feel that the British could have handled the situation better. It was wrong for the protesters to use violence as a means of protest but the government should not have sent the police force there to retaliate. The bus workers were already unhappy due to their low salary, the British should have tried to calm them down and listen to what they have to say instead of angering them further. The government's job is to serve the people. Upon realising that the people were unhappy, the British should have taken time to understand why and reflect on how they can improve the government, and clearing the protesters by using water cannons and tear gas bombs. They are not improving the situation by doing this. All the bus workers wanted was higher pay and better living conditions. Was it really so hard to fulfill this simple request? These people slave all day just to provide a smooth transport system in Singapore and yet they get 'rewarded' with poor working conditions, long working hours and low pay. The British should have taken into consideration of the people's welfare. Hence, I have learnt from the Hock Lee Bus Riots that we should not take everything we have for granted. In the past, people had to make do with these harsh conditions and yet now we are complaining about every other minor issue. We should all be appreciative of the peace and harmony that we can all enjoy today. I believe non of us would like to relive those days of rage.

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(please ignore my previous entry)

After watching the Hock Lee Bus Riots documentary, I feel that the people of Singapore have learnt that violence is not the way to solve problems. Fong Swee Suan and Lim Chin Siong should not have created violence to solve the problem of low pays and working conditions. They also should not have forced the workers of the Hock Lee Bus Company to take part in their strike since they were fine with their working conditions and pay. I feel that instead of strikes, they could have signed a petition instead.

The British government should have given the workers time to reflect on their behaviour before moving in to clear them from the entrance of Hock Lee Bus Company and improved their working conditions as much as possible since the workers' pay relies on the amount of money earned by the company. Trying to clear the protesters by water cannons and tear gas bombs will only anger them further and cause more violence to be involved.Instead, the British government made use of Singapore solely for money making purposes and never took into account the peoples' welfare.

In conclusion, I feel that Singaporeans nowadays should be grateful that we have peace and order and also wish that no one resorts to violence as a solution for any displeasures that we have with the government.

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The video on the Hock Lee Bus Riots was very interesting and informative. I have come to understand that mismanagement of people can cause drastic damage to the country, in terms of physical damage and the mindsets of people.

It started with the workers from the Singapore Bus Workers' Union wanted better pay and treatment. They felt that they deserved better treatment from the British.

The communists saw this as a golden opportunity to take advantage of the situation and topple the government. Support was easily garnered from students and other workers.

The Chinese workers blindly rioted as mentioned in the video, when people were 'hungry' the would naturally listen to anything that would grant them what they wanted. The strikers stopped the buses from leaving the depots and crippled the country's entire transport system.

The police tried to use water cannons and tear gas to disperse the strikers, but it was to no avail and instead backfired, with more people supporting the strikers due to sympathy.

I feel that the main reason for the Hock Lee Bus Riots is the inferior treatment of the Chinese community, leading to the discontent of many Chinese workers and students. However, I feel that they should not have taken their unhappiness to the streets and started a riot as that would only cause more unrest in the country and block Singapore's way to independence, with the British still in charge.

The British were also not right in the handling of the situation. Perhaps the should have listened to the people more and try their best to improve the lives of the people in Singapore, instead of treating Singapore as just another money-churning colony. They should also have negotiated with the bus workers instead of further angering them with the use of water cannons and tear gas. That way, this whole bloody episode could have been avoided.

From this episode of Days Of Rage, I have learnt that the peace we have today has been fought for by previous generations, and we must treasure our current political stability . We should treat the 1950 riots as a learning experience and not repeat the same mistake again.

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From the Days of Rage video on the Hock Lee Bus Riots, I have learnt that violence is definitely not a way to solve issues and that the government needs to be firm when controlling the people and show good leadership. It was interesting to learn about how David Marshall reacted to the situation as he was definitely put in a dilemma and it was a lose-lose situation for him,

Firstly, I think the main reason why there was a tense situation between the government and the bus workers was because the British did not treat the workers well and the communists played an important role in stirring up anti British sentiments. The communists used the discontentment and unhappiness of the workers and turned it into something much bigger, resulting in the violence.

The British expected David Marshall to call in British troops to handle the situation but generally shut out the people's opinion and did not respect their views. This further spurred on the anger of the people and thus resulted in the death of four and many injured. It was a hasty and ignorant move on the part of the British especially when police were called in to spray water at the rioters. This act caused even more hatred for the British and the police. Public sympathy was also sparked due to the violent and brutal ways to curbing the riot by the British. I feel that the Police, detective, journalist and student have died extremely cruel deaths which are the result of chaos caused by the discontentment of the people and the communists.

The incident clearly led the British to lose complete trust in David Marshall even though they already did not treat him well before. This is the main reason why Singapore was unable to gain independence then. However, I feel that although David Marshall had seemed indecisive then, the riots were mainly due to the British ignoring the complains of the citizens and workers as well as the communists using this as a chance to create chaos in Singapore. Marshall had clearly been forced into a corner.

From the Hock Lee Bus Riots, I think we can all learn that the government must be aware and care about the concerns voiced by the people. I also feel that we should learn not to resort to violence to get our way in things. Violence will result in innocent casualties and will cause hate and anger in a country, disrupting a country's peace and therefore causing unrest.

It was also through this incident that leaders like Lee Kuan Yew learnt about true politics and therefore led Singapore till today's success.

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This episode of Days of Rage on Hock Lee bus riots shows us insights on a riot during a tumultuous period in Singapore history as the people of Singapore strive for the end of colonialism and independence for Singapore. During this tough period for the people in Singapore after WW2, people have poor living and working conditions. The communists took advantage of the situation in Singapore to overthrow the British rule by stirring up the feelings of people in Singapore. The Hock Lee bus riots erupted from what was a peaceful strike for higher pay instigated by Fong Swee Suan's union. The British's actions to break up the strike backfired and fueled the strikers' anger further. Left with little alternative choices to break up the crowd, the police used tear gas and powerful water guns in an attempt to break up the strikers. In the end, many were injured because of the presence of stones in the area. The bus workers gained sympathy from others, such as Chinese middle school students and factory workers and they joined in the riot. This shows the existing discontentment in their hearts and they are willing to sacrifice their daily pay so that their fellow bus workers' voices could be heard. This regrettable incident had taken away 4 innocent lives and many other injured. This incident had also led to the British further doubting the capability of David Marshall in leading Singapore and did not give Singapore full self government. Although it was a heavy price we had to pay but we had to learn painfully to appreciate peace in the country as it does not come easily and even a single insensitive action can break the peace we enjoy now.

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This episode of Days of Rage was very enlightening and provided deeper insights to the Hock Lee Bus Riots incident. It explained the situation very thoroughly and I learnt that Singapore's journey towards peace, prosperity and independence was not an easy one.

When David Marshall became Singapore's chief minister, Singapore was thought to have finally gained a little freedom. However, British still treated him with disdain and he did not have much authority over the people. This is shown when the Chinese students went back to their schools to have a sit down strike even after David Marshall shut them down. At this point, British lost confidence in him and he realized how little control he had over the people, but I felt that what he did was right, in not involving the British troops. Also, David Marshall even went to London to ask for full internal self-government for Singapore. Even though it was a failure, I feel that David Marshall had a lot of initiative, and from this incident we can also see just how badly David Marshall wished for independence.

Anti-British sentiments first started when new ideologies which challenged colonial rule rose after world war 2. As quoted from some people in the video, "British only saw Singapore as a country that could give them money","they didn't care about the people",and "British didn't give them enough". I feel that these people were right. Why were the British so against independence for Singapore anyway? Even when David Marshall became chief minister, the British did not even regard him and treated him merely as the "senior thambi among the thambis". Also, the British denied Fong Swee Suan and his union better treatment when they went on strike. I feel that the underlying cause of the Hock Lee Bus Riots is actually the British's poor treatment of the Chinese. If the British had treated the chinese better to begin with, they would be contented and there never would be a strike. Also, I felt that the British should have been more flexible. If they had granted these workers better treatment, the problem would be resolved right there, but the British were too rigid, and it was this rigidness that caused the peaceful strike to escalate into a riot.

The British government's handling of the situation was also not very adequate as the methods they used to control the crowd actually gained more sympathy for the rioters, making the situation worse. For example, using the powerful water cannon actually injured many workers and caused them to resent the British even more. This also led to recruitment of the chinese students, who sympathized with the workers. Furthermore, when the British used guns, they accidentally shot a student, which further strengthened the anti-british sentiments among the people. These anti British sentiments are evident when the rioters beat the reporter Gene Symonds to death, because "he was white". I feel that the British should have considered these feelings more and acted accordingly, assuring the people that they would have better treatment and that there would be no more favoritism towards english schools. All the bloodshed and chaos was not necessary, and would not have happened if the British had handled the problem appropriately.

Since this incident, Singapore has changed. Now our government is much more flexible, and we have become very orderly, to the point that we are even labelled as a "Nanny State" by some. However, the Hock Lee Bus Riots incident will forever be etched in our minds and will serve as a reminder never to take our peace and prosperity for granted again.

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After watching the Hock Lee Bus Riots documentary, I feel that the people of Singapore have learnt that violence is not the way to solve problems. Fong Swee Suan and Lim Chin Siong should not have created violence to solve the problem of low pays and working conditions. They also should not have forced the workers of the Hock Lee Bus Company to take part in their strike since they were fine with their working conditions and pay. I feel that instead of strikes, they could have signed a petition instead.

The British government should have given the workers time to reflect on their behaviour before moving in to clear them from the entrance of Hock Lee Bus Company and improved their working conditions as much as possible since the workers' pay relies on the amount of money earned by the company.

PLS TAKE NOTE THAT THIS PIECE OF WORK IS NOTTTTT DONE YET SO DUN READ IT

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After watching this episode on the Hock Lee Bus Riots, I feel that it is a horrifying chapter of Singapore's history. From the bloody scenes in the video, I could imagine the fear and terror of everyday citizens in Singapore at that time. The video had clearly stated the cause of the riot, which was the unhappiness of the Chinese with the British.

The riot had started with a peaceful strike for higher pay and better working conditions. However, the Hock Lee Bus Company was on the British's side and this caused the people on strike to become agitated.

Later, the police interfered and used water cannons and batons to forcibly disperse the crowd so that there would be a path for the buses to drive through. By using water cannons, many of the protesters were hit to the ground where there were many stones and sharp objects. I agree that the British government had been too brutal when dealing with the protesters. If they had not made the wrong choices, the strike would not have escalated into a bloody riot.

I feel that from the start, British should have treated the Chinese community better. By not giving grants to Chinese schools like they did to the English schools, the Chinese were already very unhappy. This is how the riot could have been stirred up so easily.

After watching this episode, I have learnt to appreciate the peace we have in Singapore now. The Hock Lee Bus Riots were a bloody and unhappy part of Singapore's history and I am sure that none of us would want to relive that memory. Therefore we should treasure the peace we have now.

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Lee Jue Rui

After watching this episode on the Hock Lee Bus Riots, I have gained a deeper insight of the Hock Lee Bus Riot. It was really informative and provided much more information on the riot compared to our textbooks and assessment books.

In 25th April 1955, the workers from the Singapore Bus Workers’ Union went on a peaceful strike for better pay and better conditions. However, this led to 229 workers being sacked from the Hock Lee Bus Company. The workers protested against the company’s action and gather outside Hock Lee Bus Depot at Alexander Road to rebel. They laid on the road, blocking the path, making the buses unable to exit from the gates of the depot.

Later the strikers became agitated when the police came in to disperse the crowd. The strikers threw stones at the police, forcing the police to use their batons to forcibly clear the entrance. This unrest sparked an outpouring of the public sympathy for the protestors. Students were deployed by the Chinese Middle Schools to support the protestors. Other workers came and brought food for the protestors.

David Marshall tried to negotiate with the strikers. However, no agreement was made and the talk failed. The government ordered the police to clear the human barrier outside the Hock Lee Bus Depot using strong powerful water cannon. There many debris and stones on the ground, when using the water cannon to clear the human barrier, it caused the stones and debris to fly up and hit the protestors. The British colonial government were too brutal while dealing with these weapon-less workers. Apart from that the strong water cannon can also hurt the workers. When the newspaper came out the next day, it gained more sympathy from the public. The actions of the British was definitely not a smart move as it did not dose the strike but instead added fuel to the fire.

More people rushed to Alexander Road to support the strikers. On 12th May 1955, the strike turned into a riot, demonstrators started to attack the police with bricks, stones and bottles. The police used tear gas to disperse the crowd. Soon, the police started to make arrests. Thus, this day was known as ‘Black Thurday’ where the riot claimed 4 innocent lives. First death was a policeman who got beaten to death by the rioters. He was just on his way to fetch his wife, he was not there to stop the riot. The policeman, detective, student and journalist were all innocent people, they were all killed due to the riot. Apart from that 31 people were injured during the riot. Due to the wrong decision made by the police, riot ended with lives lost and people injured. I feel that the British government could have interfered earlier and settled the strike through peaceful means. Although the British government is at fault, the rioters must also take the blame. They could have settled the strike without having to riot if they had been less demanding and more accepting to the terms and conditions of the talk with David Marshall. When I was watching the death of the student, I was utterly horrified, not by how the policeman could have accidentally hit the student with a bullet but how the rioters paraded him around to show how the police had started attacking the rioters. If had they sent the student to the hospital, it could have present his death. However the root of this riot was caused by the communist. They took advantage of the situation, thinking that it was the perfect way to promote communism in the country.

From this episode of Day of Rage, I have finally learnt to truly appreciate the peace that we are enjoying in Singapore. I am truly grateful that we have a strong government who tries their best to meet the needs of the people. Hence, to hear that there is a strike or riot in Singapore is truly rare. I hope that it will remain that way, I do not wish for history to repeat itself. The occurrence of the riot was truly saddening, but also an invaluable lesson for Singapore. We learn from our mistakes and pick ourselves up from where we fall and become even stronger.

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Calista Loh

I think the reason for tension between the government and the bus workers was really how the government handled the situation. I believe the government should not have shut out the people's opinion without even attempting to reason with them and negotiate. More people were angered after the brush off reaction from the government as they felt that their views were not being respected and the government did not take them seriously.

The Hock Lee Bus Riots serve as a reminder that we should not take peace and stability in Singapore for granted. The government should also ensure that they handle sticky situations as such with careful consideration. Although the government should not 'give in' fully to the rioters as this will reflect a weak government, the government should respect the views of rioters and at the very least attempt to reason with them instead of simply brushing them off. If rioters are unfairly treated, more citizens may get angered by the 'injustice' and join the riot, turning the riot into an endless war between the police and the people.

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After watching the Hock Lee Bus Riots episode of Days of Rage, I have learnt that peace, prosperity, harmony and independence did not come easy. Singapore was very different in the past during colonial rule and the fight for independence was tough.

After WWII, there was a rise of communism and communist influence on the locals in Singapore. The British wanted to get rid of the communists but at that point, colonial rule was not as welcomed as before. There was an increase in demand for independence and the British gave limited authority to the locals. This opened the political gates for self-government.

A possible reason for the start of the riot could actually be because the local workers were treated badly by the British and there was rebellion against the British laws. Upon the strike, before the riot started, the locals' demands were not met and they became more and more agitated as time went by. Strikers did not allow the buses to leave the depot which caused a transport standstill in Singapore, leading to a drop in economy. Police, called upon by the British government, forced strikers to leave from means such as using a strong water hose to hose them away. In that process, many stones and debris from the ground flew up due to the high pressure and injured many strikers. This increased the tension of the situation between the government and the workers.

Peaceful protest soon escalated into violent and brutal riot. In order to stop the riot, the police were called in again, but this time, they opened fire and used brutal methods to get rid of the rioters, worsening the already heated situation. Rioters threw stones at the police and attacked them. The police also shot a student by accident, but this caused the parading of the dead body for 2 hours to show brutality of the British.

David Marshall then surrendered unconditionally to the rioters and agreed to their terms. Although this, in order to show his power and control in the government, he then shut down 3 Chinese schools and arrested the leader, putting him in a bad position.

Although the riot was over, what was left of it was a devastation. People were killed and many were injured. Rioters were brutal with their attacks and beat innocent people to death. Hardships, suffering, conflict and sacrifice were all come across during the riot.

From this, I have learnt from our past that violence is never the answer. Innocent people will be harmed and it will wreck havoc  to our society. Singapore has changed since the Hock Lee Bus Riots. Independence was gained and there is no more, or at least a significant decrease, in disorder. Politically, our leaders today has the ability to make a stand and protect the people from violence and injury. I feel that Singapore have indeed grown and learnt from this horrifying experience and that the Singapore government now know how to prevent such situations from happening again.

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The Days of Rage video on the Hock Lee bus riots was very informative and explained quite thoroughly the reasons why the riot was started, how the situation was handled, how David Marshall reacted and the severity of the incident.

The Hock Lee bus riots were started by the Singaporean and Malayan communists. The workers of the bus union, under Fong Swee Suan, went on the strike by simply lying on the road and preventing buses from leaving the depot. However, when the police entered the scene, the situation quickly escalated to chaos when the police sprayed water at the crowd of strikers. The bus workers then gained the sympathy of the public, and fueled by their sympathy, the bus workers continued to go on strike, garnering the support of Chinese-educated students who felt that the British government was belittling them by giving more attention to students from English schools and neglecting those from Chinese schools, thus they supported the bus workers who were on strike as they, too, did not like being under British rule.

I feel that the British government's handling of the situation was not quite adequate as they should have considered the growing anti-British feelings of the bus workers and Chinese students. If they had done so and assured them that there was no favoritism displayed to the English schools, as well as dispel the anti-British sentiments the communists had planted among them, the riots would, perhaps, not have happened and lives would have been saved. there would have been no need for bloodshed had the entire incident been properly and peacefully resolved.

This incident has reminded me that we should be more aware of others and consider their feelings, if not, sooner or later conflicts will happen that may result in disaster.

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The Hock Lee Bus Riots episode from Days of Rage had really explained clearly the rioters' intentions and the reasons that started everything. The workers were poorly treated, Fong Swee Suan's bus union workers went on a strike for two reasons, one, was to get some employees from Hock Lee Bus company join his bus union. Secondly, to 'test' David Marshall's authority in the government as the governor and other British officials did not have respect for him. However, he might or might not have known that this riot was influenced by the communists who were fighting for communism in Singapore and Malaya and chase the British out but it is for sure that the students who were there to support the bus drivers did not even suspect that the communists were behind this.

The Chinese students also went to the strike scene to support the bus drivers. This is probably due to the Chinese unhappiness towards the British. Like discussed previously, before the WWII, the British government introduced many measures to improve the lives of the people in Singapore, such as healthcare, education, etc. However, the Chinese schools got no such treatment and they were unhappy towards the British for being unfair. When the National Service was introduced, there was an 'anti-national service riot', whereby the Chinese students from Chinese schools started a riot to stop national service. Since the Chinese did not have nice schools and good education systems, why should they serve the British and help to protect their colony? This resentment hence made it easy for Fong Swee Suan to persuade the Chinese students to support the bus drivers in their strike.

During the strike, as the boss of Hock Lee Bus company were unable to give them a pay rise, they started to get violent and the police were involved. In my opinion, the bus drivers were not totally right but also not totally wrong. Their actions were done because they could see that the British were not treating them well and wanted better pay and working conditions. On the other hand, they were wrong to start getting violent, as there were students and they might get hurt.

When the locals knew about the strike, they sympathised with the strikers and understood that their treatment from the British was poor. I also thought that the police should have thought it more thoroughly before spraying the water at the bus drivers. They should have checked if it was safe to do so as they would not want more protests that the British were mean and violent.

The police also did a poor job in managing the riot. They probably had good intentions to stop the riot as fast as possible and regain order in Singapore but they used unsuitable methods. For example, they should not have used strong water to try and stop the rioters from attacking them. This had caused many to be injured by the litter on the road and would make the rioters angry that their ‘friends’ had been injured. Also, as one of the policemen had accidentally shot a student who was rioting, the other rioters paraded him around for two hours, shouting about how inhumane the British and police were to shoot a student. Therefore, the police were there to help to stop the riots but instead, worsened it and unintentionally added on to the number of casualties in this riot.

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After watching the interesting and violent video on the 1955 Hock lee Bus Riots, I had a better insight on the causes of the riot, the feelings of the Chinese students, how David Marshall handled the situation, how violent and chaotic the riot was and the situation David Marshall was in.

The riot was caused by the
communists, who were already in Singapore and Malaya even before the Japanese Occupation, (trade union leader Fong Swee Suan) instilling unhappiness in
the bus workers, instigating the bus workers to strike for higher pay and
better working conditions. The riot started as a peaceful strike with only workers lying on the road at the Hock Lee Bus depot, blocking the path of the buses. The situation continued to become more serious and was fused
to become a disaster when the police used powerful water hoses to disperse the crowd. This was not a smart move as it won the sympathy of the public for the bus workers, who gathered at the bus depot the next day to cause more violence.
The British government handled the situation inappropriately, causing the Chinese to think that the British was is anti-Chinese and is too brutal towards the Chinese, leading to even more violent riots. The inability of the Hock lee Bus company in providing the workers with higher pay also inflamed the riots, although the communists are seen as the root cause of the riots.

At that time, David Marshall was
put in an indecisive situation by the communist. He could not fight his own people or he would be seen by the people as pro-British; neither could he do or he would be seen by the British as weak and incapable of handling the communists. I feel that it is very hard for David Marshall to make decisions in such a dilemma but he could have done a better job if he cooperate with the British to go against the people to gain the trust of the British.

When more supporters, including
workers from other trade unions and Chinese students gathered at the bus depot to support the bus workers on 12 May 1955, riots erupted and the police’s efforts to alleviate the situation was futile. The rioters were very violent
and attacked the police, attacking any police or British they see. On this Black Thursday, 4 people were killed, including three innocent police and journalist. One police constable Andrew Teoh was beaten to death on his way to
pick up his wife. Another detective was attacked in the car and put in flames and died two days later. A Chinese student was shot by a police, paraded around by students and died by the time he was taken to hospital. A journalist taking
pictures was attacked and died too. The Chinese were filled with anger against the British government and was anti-colonialism.

The riot ended two days later and
4 died, 31 were injured. David Marshall tried to show his power by closing down the 3 Chinese schools, expelled students who took part in the riot and arrested Fong Swee Suan. However, the British had lost their confidence in David Marshall and did not approve of giving the people internal self-government when he led a team to British to ask for internal self-government.

From this Hock Lee Bus riots,
people began to reflect on the politics in Singapore and I have learnt how much chaos resentment could create. It was a dark reminder to the people of Singapore, not just those who experienced the riot, but also today’s generation that resentment is very dangerous and we should not take the peace we now enjoy for granted. I also learnt the importance of having a decisive government and the chaos and disaster communists can create. The Hock Lee Bus Riots ahd allowed me to understand how much Singapore had went through during its journey towards independence. Thus, we should treasure what we have today. I had always wondered why the PAP is always so strict and touchy about its people protesting and now this film has finally allowed me to understand why Lee Kuan Yew is so strict about people protesting in Singapore because he had seen how a serious and violent situation a small, peaceful, protest could lead to and he is taking no chance to stop a protest to prevent something like the Hock Lee Bus Riots to happen again. Singapore has went
through a lot of hardship and violence and all these are the lessons that we have learnt which allowed us to build a prosperous and peaceful nation we have
today. Thus, we must never forget our past and strive to make Singapore an even better place to live in.

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After watching the Days of Rage video which features the 1995 Hock Lee Bus Riots, i feel that this film did a cohesive job of relaying the government’s side of the story. It devotes some time to featuring the Hock Lee bus company’s side of events. Indeed, " the hock lee bus riots is a dark reminder of how quickly the radical left could mastermind and unleash chaos". We cannot take peace and order in a rational society for granted. It is through these hardships that we learn how to appreciate the secured peace in our nation.

I feel that the government should take into consideration of why the riot took place and respond to it by listening to the people's  legitimate grievances and improve the people's working conditions, as they wanted. If they could provide the rioters with better working conditions, the riot would never have begun, in the first place. Sending the police to use water hose to simply break up the strikes was the last resort after 2 weeks of frustration. Unfortunately, by doing so, this would just further arouse public anger and more strikes to occur as more people would sympathize would them.

However, I feel that this episode, failed to represent the perspectives of the workers or the Chinese middle school students and constantly portrayed the communists as the root of the riot as there is no factual truth or concrete proof to support this. Interviews that were edited out include the mentioning that the Hock Lee management reportedly did not honor the agreement that they signed with the workers' union, and thus they were angry and stage a riot.  Furthermore, there was an exclusion of the opinions of the other interviewees on what they believe the cause of the riots was or whether they felt the riots were caused by communists or whether they felt the workers’ demands were fair, Hence, this film may not be factually accurate and the true reason for the riot may not be known only speculated unless different sides of the story are told in the film.

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After watching the Days of Rage episode on the Hock Lee Bus Riots, I feel that the British are unfair to the locals. The 1955 strike against the Hock Lee bus company was caused by the anger that arose within the workers due to insufficient salary for a living.

Working class trade unions were pro communist and the British felt that the communist was a threat, thus they were treated badly. At the same time, the pro communist wanted to recruit new members into their union, so they came up with better wages and conditions. When workers are "hungry", they would most likely accept the offer and listen to the union leaders.

Students from the Chinese middle schools were sympathetic to the works and therefore joined the movements as they felt that it was an inversion of policies.

The strikers form a protest and they gathered outside depots, raising banners to rebel against the British Labour Law and their bosses. They laid on roads where the buses were supposed to exit, not fearing death. Sympathising these Hock Lee bus drivers, other bus company joined forces. During that period, they stood firm and when tension heats up, they started throwing stones. The entire bus system was crippled as no bus could leave the depot, the society was unstable. Desperate, David Marshall ordered the use of water cannons to clear the entrance. The police was unfair and brutal in dealing with the weaponless workers. Many people were injured and when the fighting finally died down with many injured throughout the whole process, Marshall resigned due to failure in controlling the riot and doing his job.

This riot has made the people slowly learnt about the reality of politics in Singapore. That was the year with chaos and disorder, making use of political tools to gain control. I learnt that it is through hardships, conflicts, suffering and sacrifice that one finds way to peace, prosperity and success.

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After watching the video about hock lee bus riots, I think that the British treated the locals unfairly, and they did not think of the consequences of their actions. They should not have sprayed water on the 'wall' of people , as it further infuriated the students to riot, and caused 4 innocent people to die.

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After watching the Days of Rage episode on the Hock Lee Bus Riots,I realized that the riots were mostly stirred up by Communists.Workers who went on strikes wanted better pay and working conditions.They were probably influenced by the Communists to create chaos. Students from Chinese school were also used by the Communists to stir up more chaos and problems . As the strikes advanced to riots, the government carried out brutal actions such as using water hoses to disperse the strikers. In my opinion, what they had done was incorrect as their actions provoked more responds from the people. Some people sympathized with them and supported them by gathering at Alexandra Road. The poor actions that the government had carried out in attempt to stop the riots caused 4 deaths and 31 casualties. After the riots, the British were also felt that David Marshall was incapable of handling the riots and the Communists problem, and thus thought that Marshall's government would not rule Singapore well. From this horrific incident, we should learn that social stability should not be taken for granted and is very important for the prosperity of the country.

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After watching the video “Hock Lee Bus Riots”, I feel that the British treated the people in Singapore unfairly. The British supported anti-colonialism. However, the Labour Front and the Workers’ Party supported pro-communism so they were given poor treatment. The Singapore Progressive Party did not win the 1955 elections but the British saw David Marshall as a figurehead with no power. The British used money that was collected to improve schooling conditions in English schools, leading to much unhappiness in the Chinese. The British also started National Service, which required all men of aged 19 and above to join the military force, including the Chinese. However, due to their bad impression of the British, many Chinese did not turn up. Since they are not entitled to any benefits, why should they fight for the British when they stand nothing to gain? All of these resentment together with the impact created after the Maria Hertogh case resulted in the Hock Lee Bus Riot which was instigated by Fung Swee Suan. Previously, the Chinese students were very unhappy with the unfairness that they got. Thus, when he instigated them to join the riot, they agreed without hesitation. To dissipate the crowd, the police were called to attack with water cabin. They managed to break through the ‘wall’ and smashed the ticket line, causing the attackers to reverse. 1 of them even rolled into the drain. Due to the strong water current, many people were injured. The next day, a newspaper article regarding the bus riot was published and won the sympathy of many others. To support them, more people gathered at Alexandra Road to encourage the strike. Anger raged among the people. Some threw broken bottles at the police. Tear gas and batons were implemented to disperse the crowd. As a result of the war, many people were injured and 4 innocent people, consisting of a student, journalist, a policeman and a detective, died. The riot eventually ended. After the riot, David Marshall expelled some students from the Chinese schools who instigated the riots and shut down Chinese schools.

Calling the police for help was not a very wise move. The Chinese were unhappy with the way they were treated. The British included everyone, not only the government but also the police force. An example is Andrew Teoh, a policeman who was on his way to pick his wife up. However, he took a wrong turn and went to Alexandra Road in which he was attacked and beaten to death. There were many other innocent lives that were taken away. Moreover, the police resorted to violent methods like the use of strong water cabins which injured many. The mayhem continued and the police fired shots at the angry crowd. Unfortunately, a student was shot. Those around put him on a stretcher and paraded him around for 2hrs, telling passer-bys that the British were inhuman. The riot sparked off due to their displeasure but by sending the police, it seems to be implying that they are going against the law. The Chinese are already feeling indignant that they are treated unfairly but by telling them that they are going against the law, their hatred would increase.

The police created a lot of disorder among the people as the Chinese did not think highly of what the British were doing. No matter what they do, they get nothing in return. Thus, they feel that since they are not benefiting, they should just go against what the government and the British is doing. Only the English schools benefited. They are often neglected but when problem arises, they have to play a part to solve the problem.

From the Hock Lee Bus Riots, I learnt that it was a dark reminder of how quickly resentment could mastermind and unleash chaos. Through the riot, good leaders like Lee Kuan Yew learnt the reality of politics and how to better govern Singapore. Eventually, the British would leave Singapore and it would be self-governed. Thus, this riot shapes the political and social landscape of Singapore. When the good rulers take over, they would know how they should guide Singapore and bring it to become a better country. The Hock Lee Bus Riot was a defining moment in Singapore’s history. Through the many conflicts and sacrifice of lives, Singapore has now become what it is today, a peaceful,harmonious and independent country.