Gambling, a form of recreation, was used to divert the people’s attention from the sufferings during the Japanese Occupation years. The gambling games offered at the park included fan-tan, dominoes and the popular “12-character lottery” as known as “chap ji kee”. Chap ji kee was extremely popular then, especially among the housewives. They would use some of their monthly allowances or savings to bet, hoping to strike the first prize. The game was simple, as one just needed to choose two numbers from one to twelve, and place them in either horizontal or vertical arrangement. In the vertical arrangement, the sequel of the two numbers must be correct in order to win the payout, often to more than 10 times the size of each bet. Codes were used on the betting slips, usually by circles and lines to indicate the stake amounts. Runners would then collect the slips usually at the coffee stalls, and bring them to a centralised location where the numbers would be drawn and announced
INFERENCE
1) I can infer that the amusement parks were very fun. This is evident as there were many people visiting with their smiles on their faces. This implies that playing in the amusements park is worth the while

2) I can infer from the source below that gambling is very popular. This is evident that there were many people watching the gambler play. This implies that gambling is addictive that people had to spend their money just to bet and use their luck to earn and lose money

Image of a smoking den

In this photograph, opium smokers in Singapore relax in a sparsely furnished opium den, suggesting that the clientele were mostly working class. It was a place where you do opium and hang out, then do more opium. The social impact was huge and damaging, with addicts prone to sell all their possessions to feed their habit. Many men ended up homeless doing nothing but smoking opium.

However the Japanese did not allow people in Singapore to smoke opium. Thus the Japanese Occupation banned opiums in Singapore. This led many Chinese in Singapore to be devastated as some were addicted. Those who still smoked opiums were likely to be punished 

Thus, the Japanese changed the smokers' life. 

Through this process of learning the newly introduced language, there are bound to have students who face difficulty catching up. Hence, there are students who use the language they are familiar with and replace it with the Japanese words in order to find out how to pronounce the different words. The picture below shows us how a student who speaks hokkien used Chinese words to represent how to pronounce the 3 different Japanese words.

An interview was carried out with Dr Tan Ban Cheng. He was 13 years old in 1942 which meant that he went through the ordeal of the war as a teenaer. He expressed his thoughts on Japanese efforts to promote their language and culture in Singapore during the Japanese Occupation. This is what he said, “ People only made use of the language in so far as they had to communicate with the Japanese. People working in situations where they do not see very many of the Japanese, I don’t think they bothered very much about learning the language.” 

The Japanese published and printed Japanese dictionaries in different languages for different ethnic groups in Singapore. Picture below shows a Malay-Japanese dictionaries

The Japanese created lessons specially designed to be played on the radio. The locals just had to purchase a small book and read it while listening to the radio broadcasts that teaches the locals the Japanese language. It is easily accessible.

There were Japanese Books with illustrations to help the reader have a better understanding on what the book is about and relate to the story better through the pictures.

Students were awarded for doing well in the Japanese language as well. There were handwritten Chinese notes on how to pronounce Japanese words in the Museum as well as exercise books with different chapters on the Japanese textbook as students did their best to master the Japanese language through copying or memorising the textbooks.

After the War, The British Came back in hopes of ruling Singapore again. However, they realised that there various major problems in Singapore. One of which was having insufficient schools, teachers and textbooks to meet the demands for education as the Japanese administrations closed down several schools during the war. Hence, what the British did to address these issues was that they started reopening schools and through this, 62,000 students were able to go back to school by March 1946. Students who went back to school after the war no longer need to learn the Japanese language. Nonetheless, they had to continue learning English as the British came back and had control over the education system once again.

Through these 2 trips, I learnt more about the lives of those who survived the War and how life then was so different from now. I’ve seen how the education system has changed over the years and how the people really want to through the 2 trips and I personally felt that this trip was really an eye-opening one. Though I may not have gone through all the hardships that the people face during the war but I was able to know more about how people felt and how they overcome the challenges they faced. 

We went for another trip in which we visited the Kranji Memorial hall and Bukit Chandu. We have gathered more information from these 2 trips. I can infer from that after the war life for the people of Singapore changed rather drastically. Education in Singapore were changed back to the norm before the war. However, people then have their own opinions and they were more educated in a sense where they knew that they had rights. What caused this change could be due to the people of Singapore knowing that people from other countries came to Singapore to defend us and also, not only did men fight. Women fought for Singapore as well. This can be seen from the picture of a female fighter pilot's tombstone below.

Hence, people were more educated in terms of knowing their rights and having pride in Singapore, regarding Singapore as their home

[Source A]

This receipt dated 1 June 1943 was signed by Loh Jin Hwee, the owner of the Song Seng Chan bicycle shop located at Joo Chiat Road. He had purchased passenger trishaws from a company called Ngee Hong at $200 each with the intention of renting them out. According to regulations, the daily rental fee of each vehicle must not exceed one dollar per drive. Trishaws Were introduced in Syonan in August 1942 and eventually replaced the rickshaws as an important mode of transport. 

[Inference]
I can infer from Source A that the working conditions during the Japanese Occupation was not very easy.

[Edvidence]
  According to Source A, it shows that, “ Lin Jin Hwee, the owner of the Song Seng Chan Bicycle shop, had to purchased passenger Trishaws from a company called Ngee Hong at $200 each with intention of renting them out. “ and that “ according to regulations, the daily rental fee of each vehicle must not exceed one dollar per drive.” “Rickshaws was then eventually been replaced by Trishaws as an important mode of transport.”

[Elaboration]
This shows that Loh Jin Hwee had difficulty renting bikes due to regulations set by the Japanese and how he did not have enough money due to insufficient pay. But Trishaws were also an important mode of transport during the Japanese Occupation,

Before the Japanese Occupation,the chinese coolies worked as rickshaw pullers and farmers, they worked in mines, ports and jungles. They have to do back-breaking tasks. During the Japanese Occupation, The Japanese used the POW’s at Changi for forced labour. The formula was very simple – if you worked, you would get food. If you did not work, you would get no food. Men were made to work in the docks where they loaded munitions onto ships. They were also used to clear sewers damaged in the attack on Singapore. 

 Small business licences [Source B]

Small Business had to register with the Food Control Department which fell under the jurisdiction of the Tokubetsu-shi. Some of the licences here once belonged to fisherman, a groundnut seller and a potato hawker

I can infer from Source B that there was no freedom in people doing their own business.

[Edvidence]
According to Source B, “ People had to register with the Food Control Department which fell under the jurisdiction of the Tokubetsu-shi.” This shows that people who wanted to put up their own business, had to ask for permission from the Japanese Food Department. It was also not confirmed that they will definitely be qualified to build up their own business for a living and if they were to build up their own business without any sort of licences given by the Japanese Food Department, they would be in a trouble with the Japanese Authorities.

[Elaboration]
During the Japanese Occupation, not many people were able to put up their own business and it causes them to not have enough money for a living.

Textual Knowledge

[Source C]
The need to obtain official approval extended to all aspects of life, from owning a bicycle to buying opium. Everyone was required to carry numerous permits, licences, employment passes and ration cards with them on a daily basis. These documents not only proved ownership and facilitated transactions; they also served to verify the identities of their bearers, which could save them from trouble with the Japanese authorities. Those found without proper identification were easy targets for forced labour recruitment exercises or arrests by the formidable Kempeitai.

Before the Japanese Occupation, people were able to create their own business for a living easily, however, during the Japanese Occupation, Everyone was required to carry numerous permits, licences, employment passes and ration cards with them on daily basis, and if  people who are found without proper identification were easy targets for forced labor recruitment exercises or they will be arrested by the formidable Kempeitai. Not many people were able to have their own business by the streets by themselves and it was strictly stated that they must have some sort of licences or cards approved by the Japanese in order to start a business to show that they own the shop and to prevent themselves from upsetting the Japanese authorities and to get arrested. People was mostly controlled by the Japanese in order to start a business.

There was absolutely no freedom in people doing their own business. People had to register with the Food Control Department which fell under the jurisdiction of the Tokubetsu-shi.

People who wanted to put up their own business, had to ask for permission from the Japanese Food Department. It was also not confirmed that they will definitely be qualified to build up their own business for a living and if they were to build up their own business without any sort of licences given by the Japanese Food Department, they would be in a trouble with the Japanese Authorities. During the Japanese Occupation, not many people were able to put up their own business and it causes them to not have enough money for a living.