The Collapse Of The Selarang Prison
------------------------------------ The Japanese officers consistently tortured certain prisoners to withdraw relevant intelligence on the armed resistance and to expose the allied spies. The Selarang barracks protest against the escape document saw 20,000 British and Australian prisoners of war rounded up in the central square of the Selarang camp and were refused any food, water, and medical treatment. Several men died from dysentery. All because they refused to sign a pledge not to escape.
Many men died from the tropical diseases, malnutrition and lots of other illnesses. Countless imprisoned soldiers died from injuries that they had received before surrendering to the Japanese. The lack of medical assistance was a cause for many of …show more content…
these men to die in such harsh conditions where the wounds would just become infected.
About 850 military prisoners of war died at Selarang during the time that the Japanese were in control of Singapore. There was an unknown number of deaths amongst the prisoners of war at Changi prisoner of war camp. After the war the Changi barracks were briefly used for storage of the Japanese soldiers who had been accused of war crimes against the prisoners.
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In the first few months when the camp was created, prisoners were allowed to do what they wanted.
The treatment of Prisoners of War at the Changi war camp was ruthless, fitting in with the belief that the Japanese held against anyone who surrendered Australian or not. The Japanese believed that those who surrendered were a humiliation to their country and families. The security was more strict after the arrival of committed Japanese Prisoner of War staff at the end of August 1942. A statement was soon desired where all prisoners would agree to not attempt to escape. This statement was first introduced by the new Japanese …show more content…
commandant.
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The whole entire camp was asked to sign an agreement promising that they would not try and escape after one man tried to escape and was caught.
The prisoners refused so as a result all 15,400 British and Australian prisoners were confined in the camp areas. After three whole days an arrangement was agreed on and the Japanese ordered to have it signed. Out of force the Australians signed and the prisoners returned to their original areas. When the men disagreed to sign the agreement they were then marched down to the barracks and they were given an order to sign but the men once more denied. As punishment the Japanese took a group down to the beach and shot them all dead but they still refused to agree, only to change their minds when threatened with an outbreak of disease and infection. The Japanese routinely tortured prisoners to extract intelligence on local armed resistance and to uncover Allied spies.
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The prisoners endured health issues and sickness from their hard labour. They had a lack of essential vitamins from the food. The Japanese officers allowed the British and Australian commanders to discipline their soldiers and help maintain the strict order.
The whole camp was under control of one of the British Lieutenant who had been in control of the defence force in Singapore before they had surrendered. The lieutenant kept a strict order of discipline and routine for the soldiers. The soldiers were commanded to maintain
their own physical health and hygiene.
Food stood at the top of their list of priorities to keep the soldiers healthy. The Japanese provided the prisoners with what could be called a generous range of food. They were supplied with rice, meat, flour, vegetables, milk, sugar and tea. Although the British and Australian army chefs did not know how to cook rice at all so it was often served as a grey sludge. The cooks began to improvise and began to provide the men with food that provided the basic nutrients.
The Japanese clamped down on the inmates and cut back their healthy eating habits. Announcing that the prisoners should be self sufficient for all of their food except for rice. The captive soldiers worked together to build communal vegetable gardens. The Japanese were extremely harsh on the prisoners and then limited the space that they could use and they were all caged into different groups.
Many men died from the tropical diseases, malnutrition and lots of other illnesses. Countless imprisoned soldiers died from injuries that they had received before surrendering to the Japanese. The lack of medical assistance was a cause for many of …show more content…
these men to die in such harsh conditions where the wounds would just become infected.
About 850 military prisoners of war died at Selarang during the time that the Japanese were in control of Singapore. There was an unknown number of deaths amongst the prisoners of war at Changi prisoner of war camp. After the war the Changi barracks were briefly used for storage of the Japanese soldiers who had been accused of war crimes against the prisoners.
------------------------------------
In the first few months when the camp was created, prisoners were allowed to do what they wanted.
The treatment of Prisoners of War at the Changi war camp was ruthless, fitting in with the belief that the Japanese held against anyone who surrendered Australian or not. The Japanese believed that those who surrendered were a humiliation to their country and families. The security was more strict after the arrival of committed Japanese Prisoner of War staff at the end of August 1942. A statement was soon desired where all prisoners would agree to not attempt to escape. This statement was first introduced by the new Japanese …show more content…
commandant.
---------------------------------------
The whole entire camp was asked to sign an agreement promising that they would not try and escape after one man tried to escape and was caught.
The prisoners refused so as a result all 15,400 British and Australian prisoners were confined in the camp areas. After three whole days an arrangement was agreed on and the Japanese ordered to have it signed. Out of force the Australians signed and the prisoners returned to their original areas. When the men disagreed to sign the agreement they were then marched down to the barracks and they were given an order to sign but the men once more denied. As punishment the Japanese took a group down to the beach and shot them all dead but they still refused to agree, only to change their minds when threatened with an outbreak of disease and infection. The Japanese routinely tortured prisoners to extract intelligence on local armed resistance and to uncover Allied spies.
------------------------------------------------------
The prisoners endured health issues and sickness from their hard labour. They had a lack of essential vitamins from the food. The Japanese officers allowed the British and Australian commanders to discipline their soldiers and help maintain the strict order.
The whole camp was under control of one of the British Lieutenant who had been in control of the defence force in Singapore before they had surrendered. The lieutenant kept a strict order of discipline and routine for the soldiers. The soldiers were commanded to maintain
their own physical health and hygiene.
Food stood at the top of their list of priorities to keep the soldiers healthy. The Japanese provided the prisoners with what could be called a generous range of food. They were supplied with rice, meat, flour, vegetables, milk, sugar and tea. Although the British and Australian army chefs did not know how to cook rice at all so it was often served as a grey sludge. The cooks began to improvise and began to provide the men with food that provided the basic nutrients.
The Japanese clamped down on the inmates and cut back their healthy eating habits. Announcing that the prisoners should be self sufficient for all of their food except for rice. The captive soldiers worked together to build communal vegetable gardens. The Japanese were extremely harsh on the prisoners and then limited the space that they could use and they were all caged into different groups.