Invasion of Malaya (21 mins)

The video traces the advancement of Japanese forces from their first landing in Kota Bharu to the capture of Johore. Japanese interest in Malaya began when Britain, Holland and the United States started imposing economic sanctions on Japan. Starved and hungry for raw materials, Japan needed and wanted Malaya for its very rich tin and rubber resources. The documentary also introduces the major defence planners and Japan's defence strategies for Malaya.



Malay Regiment (20 mins)

This video begins by bringing audiences back to the embryonic stages of the development of the then Experimental Company, to the formation and expansion of the Malay Regiment in the 1930s. With the shadow of war looming over the Far East, the Regiment soldiers were sent to Singapore for advanced training. When war broke out, "A" and "C Companies were sent to defend the Western sector of Singapore. Many of them brought along their families and settled in Pasir Panjang. The video will feature interviews with family members of the Malay Regiment soldiers who fought in Pasir Panjang.

The video gives an insight on the British "main fleet to Singapore strategy" to protect its prized possession in East Asia, and why the strategy did not work well. It also traces the major milestones of the battle from the dropping of bombs on Singapore on 8 Feb 1942, to the final surrender by the British on 15 Feb 1942. There are also interviews with local prominent military historians and survivors who offer their eye-witness accounts and viewpoints on the reasons for the failure of British defence strategies.

Photo Essays on War and Peace (11 mins)

This production features an original music composition accompanied by photographic images reflecting war and peace times, by prominent local music composer/artiste Mark Chan. Mark Chan's involvement in threatre-composition started in 1988 which coincided with his personal odyssey to rediscover his Chinese roots and passion for all things Asian (and at the same time reconciling with living in a heavily Westernised environment). This rediscovery of roots and diverse cultures was the fuel for producing a music both immediately universal, lingeringly Asian and uniquely his own.

Tapioca Days: The Lives of Singapore Malays during the Japanese Occupation (Zaman Ubi Kayu - Masyarakat Melayu pada Zaman Penjajahan Jepun)
(30 mins)

This video features interesting insights into the lives of local Malays during the Occupation and is based on oral history accounts of survivors of the Occupation, archival photographs and audio-visual footage. The documentary covers various aspects including how the Malay Muslims continued their religious practices, how they cured ailments using traditional herbs or jamu and the development of the Malay language and literature during the period. There are also accounts of how Chinese families gave away their children to Malay families to ensure their safety.

During the Occupation, the Japanese soldiers committed many atrocities, but even though a War Crimes Commission was set up, many went unpunished. This documentary brings to you the people who sat through these trials and others who suffered much during the occupation. It also looks at how Singapore remembered her war dead through her memorials.

Chalo Dhili "On To Delhi": Historical Journey of the Indian National Army (7 mins)

This photo essay retells the story of the Indian National Army, from its revolutionary origin in wartime Singapore to the postwar trials of these freedom fighters at Red Fort, Delhi.

The members of the First Cabinet of 1965 made significant contributions in laying the foundation of a newly independent Singapore. Collectively, they established the fundamentals of good leadership and values in managing and nurturing the nation to its present state. Learn about their major contributions during Singapore’s first decade of nation building and appreciate how they laid the foundation for Singapore as an independent city state. Find out more at www.nhb.gov.sg/nas.