War and Peace

On Feb 15, 1942, Singapore fell to Japanese forces during World War II after a week of fierce fighting.

- Walter Sim

This marked one of the most significant defeats for the British Empire, even as that same morning, before the surrender, the paper's Page 1 headline struck a note of defiance: "Singapore must stand; it SHALL stand".

The Straits Times was shut, but resumed publication on Feb 20, 1942, under a new name: The Syonan Times, later renamed The Syonan Shimbun, reflecting Singapore's new name under occupation — Syonan-to, or "Brilliant Southern Island".

The newspaper became a mouthpiece for Japanese propaganda, with content strictly censored and controlled by the Japanese military administration.

The Syonan Shimbun printed its last issue on Sept 4, 1945, two days after Japan signed surrender documents aboard an American battleship.

The Straits Times resumed publication under its original name on Sept 7, 1945, with the triumphant front-page headline: "Singapore is British again!".

In the aftermath of World War II, stories in The Straits Times reflected Singapore's complex sentiments towards Japan. There was deep resentment over wartime atrocities, like those recounted by survivors of the Changi massacre, but also a degree of sympathy for the immense suffering Japan endured in the atomic bombings.