Sook Ching Massacre

I think the most prominent massacre that we learn about in school was the Sook Ching one yes??

Thought I would share in case anyone didn't read about the atrocities.


The Sook Ching massacre basically exterminated hostile elements among the Chinese in Singapore by the Japanese military during the Japanese occupation of Singapore, after the British colony surrendered on 15 February 1942 following the Battle of Singapore.

Interesting that like Singapore met her own version of Hitler. :/

Anyone know if data or more information is kept in our heritage or anywhere in Singapore?

The Sook Ching Massacre occurred on 18 Feb 1942, 3 days after the Japanese surrendered to the British, to 4 Mar 1942. The Kempeitai (Japanese military police) rounded up Chinese men from the ages of 18-50 for mass screening. Those who passed were stamped with "examined" on their faces, arms, bodies or clothing while those who failed were marked with a triangle. Many of the men who failed the screening were taken to remote beaches including Changi, Punggol and Sentosa and executed in batches.

A monument to the event can be found in at the Hong Lim Complex in Chinatown.

It is interesting to note the parallels you drew to Hitler as both cases used the motif of a triangle to identify an undesirable element to the regime, the reasons however were (thankfully) far from each other.

I wouldn't go as far as to liken it to Hitler. Overall the idea of the Holocaust was the extermination of a race. The Japanese did not go to such lengths, although it was no doubt a heinous act.

The Civilian War Memorial is a tomb for civilians killed during the Occupation.

Slamboree makes a good point! Although both issues are crimes against humanity, Sook Ching took place at a relatively smaller scale compared to the holocaust.