Saturday, August 09, 2008
I am looking forward to the field trips this coming semester! Am thinking of going for Field Trip Number 4, whose focus is about battles. Fight club! Nah, it's more to learn what made the battle either a success or a failure.
Of course, the aftermath is a different story altogether...
I leave you with some messages from my professor, who's a specialist in military history.
HY2242/SSA2208—Singapore’s Military History
[My notes] HY is the code for History; SSA is the code for Singapore Studies. Yes, you have to do a course categorised as Singapore Studies in order to graduate!
Field Trip Schedule
Field Trip Number 1: Fort Canning and the Original Defences of Singapore
Date: Saturday 23 August 2008
This is a walking trip, which lasts from 9am to about 1pm. We will meet at the Centoaph, the WWI memorial on Beach Road, directly opposite the centre of the Padang, and tour precolonial and East India Company Singapore. The purpose of this trip is to shed light on the military and other problems and experiences Singapore went through during these periods, by combining space with text. There is no limit to the number of students who can take this tour.
Field Trip Number 2: Fort Siloso and the Defences of Keppel Harbour
Date: Saturday 6 September 2008
This is a bus assisted trip, which will last most of the day. We will meet at the bus stop outside the Central Library at 9am. There are 48 places for this trip, sign up with me. First come first served, no changing your mind. The purpose of this trip is to explore the problems of expanding Singapore’s defences before the First World War, during a period in which world affairs became a great deal more ominous and the Empire changed substantially in many respects. This will take us from Katong to Labrador to Sentosa, with lunch in between.
Field Trip Number 3: World War II in Singapore: The Defences of Singapore
Date: Saturday 13 September, 2008
This is a bus assisted trip, which will last all day. We will meet at the bus stop outside the Central Library at 8:30am. There are 48 places for this trip, sign up with me. First come first served, no changing your mind. The purpose of this trip is to explore the massive expansion and transformation of Singapore’s defences after the end of the First World War, to respond to fundamental changes in British defence strategy, world affairs, and other concerns. This will take us from Sembawang to Changi to East Coast to Pasir Panjang to Labrador, with lunch in between.
Field Trip Number 4: World War II in Singapore: The Battle of Singapore
Date: Saturday 4 October, 2008
This is a bus assisted trip, which will last all day. We will meet at the bus stop outside the Central Library at 8:30am. There are 48 places for this trip, sign up with me. First come first served, no changing your mind. The purpose of this trip is the classic purpose of a military history field trip: to walk the ground, to gain greater insight into why a battle was fought as it was and turned out as it did—in this case, the battle for Singapore island in February 1942. This will take us from Lim Chu Kang to Sarimbun to Kranji to the Causeway to Bukit Timah to Kent Ridge to Pasir Panjang to Labrador, with lunch in between.
Field Trip Number 5: Japanese Occupation in Singapore:
Date: Saturday 11 October, 2008
This is a bus assisted trip, which will last most of the day. We will meet at the bus stop outside the Central Library at 9am. There are 48 places for this trip, sign up with me. First come first served, no changing your mind. The purpose of this trip is to explore the sites that remain witness to the experience and impact of Japanese occupation from 1942-45, for all who went through it. This will take us from Chinatown to Beach Road to the Japanese Cemetery to the Changi area, beach and museum, with lunch in between.
FAQ
What happens if it rains?
We get wet. Come prepared.
What if I am late at the rendezvous?
We leave on time, be there.
What will these trips cost?
Nothing, except what you want to buy yourself for lunch.
What should I wear?
Sun block and anti-mosquito spray, plus, my suggestion, a hat, long pants and comfortable walking shoes. This is a special note to the ladies: high heeled shoes are NOT good field trip walking shoes. Note to everyone: open toed sandals are NOT good field trip walking shoes.
Should I take notes?
Considering you are doing an assignment* connected to one of the trips yes you should. And ask lots of questions. Bring a tape recorder and camera if you want.
*This is the assignment:
Field trips—
Military history is made in the field. As we live in the midst of our subject we are going to exploit that fact. I will lead the following five field trips, on Saturdays:
1) Fort Canning and the original defences of Classical and British Singapore
2) Fort Siloso and the defences of Keppel Harbour
3) World War II in Singapore: three trips:
a. The defences of Singapore
b. The battle of Singapore
c. Japanese Occupation of Singapore
Everyone will be required to attend TWO of these trips, and write an individual short essay on a question related to ONE of them. The paper will focus on a specific question addressed by the trip. Details—dates of trips, sign up lists, arrangements—will follow shortly, when enrollment is confirmed. Each essay will be due two weeks after the trip you choose to work on. The essay instructions are:
Write a 1000-1500 words essay, with proper attribution and citation of sources, on one of the following questions. Draw on both standard text sources and discussion/insights derived from the trip:
Trip 1, Fort Canning and the original defences of Singapore—
Can we learn anything credible about defending Singapore before 1819? Why or why not?
Or…
+ Was British Singapore defensible before Fort Canning was built? Why or why not?
or…
+ Did Fort Canning meet the defence needs of British Singapore when it was built? Why or why not?
Trip 2, Fort Siloso and the defences of Keppel Harbour, before 1918—
+ Why were so many batteries built on Blakang Mati before 1918? Was the money well spent?
or…
+ Was there a crisis in British Singapore’s harbour defences before the Great War? Why or why not?
Trip 3, Singapore and World War II—The Defences of Singapore—
+Was Singapore well defended by December 1941? Why or why not?
Trip 4, Singapore and World War II—The Battle of Singapore—
+ Is there any point to studying the battle of Singapore island in February 1942? Why or why not?
Trip 5, Singapore and World War II—Japanese Occupation—
+ What label best describes this experience: an example of human barbarity; a testament of human endurance; something else? Why?
¶ 8/09/2008 02:12:00 am Of course, the aftermath is a different story altogether...
I leave you with some messages from my professor, who's a specialist in military history.
HY2242/SSA2208—Singapore’s Military History
[My notes] HY is the code for History; SSA is the code for Singapore Studies. Yes, you have to do a course categorised as Singapore Studies in order to graduate!
Field Trip Schedule
Field Trip Number 1: Fort Canning and the Original Defences of Singapore
Date: Saturday 23 August 2008
This is a walking trip, which lasts from 9am to about 1pm. We will meet at the Centoaph, the WWI memorial on Beach Road, directly opposite the centre of the Padang, and tour precolonial and East India Company Singapore. The purpose of this trip is to shed light on the military and other problems and experiences Singapore went through during these periods, by combining space with text. There is no limit to the number of students who can take this tour.
Field Trip Number 2: Fort Siloso and the Defences of Keppel Harbour
Date: Saturday 6 September 2008
This is a bus assisted trip, which will last most of the day. We will meet at the bus stop outside the Central Library at 9am. There are 48 places for this trip, sign up with me. First come first served, no changing your mind. The purpose of this trip is to explore the problems of expanding Singapore’s defences before the First World War, during a period in which world affairs became a great deal more ominous and the Empire changed substantially in many respects. This will take us from Katong to Labrador to Sentosa, with lunch in between.
Field Trip Number 3: World War II in Singapore: The Defences of Singapore
Date: Saturday 13 September, 2008
This is a bus assisted trip, which will last all day. We will meet at the bus stop outside the Central Library at 8:30am. There are 48 places for this trip, sign up with me. First come first served, no changing your mind. The purpose of this trip is to explore the massive expansion and transformation of Singapore’s defences after the end of the First World War, to respond to fundamental changes in British defence strategy, world affairs, and other concerns. This will take us from Sembawang to Changi to East Coast to Pasir Panjang to Labrador, with lunch in between.
Field Trip Number 4: World War II in Singapore: The Battle of Singapore
Date: Saturday 4 October, 2008
This is a bus assisted trip, which will last all day. We will meet at the bus stop outside the Central Library at 8:30am. There are 48 places for this trip, sign up with me. First come first served, no changing your mind. The purpose of this trip is the classic purpose of a military history field trip: to walk the ground, to gain greater insight into why a battle was fought as it was and turned out as it did—in this case, the battle for Singapore island in February 1942. This will take us from Lim Chu Kang to Sarimbun to Kranji to the Causeway to Bukit Timah to Kent Ridge to Pasir Panjang to Labrador, with lunch in between.
Field Trip Number 5: Japanese Occupation in Singapore:
Date: Saturday 11 October, 2008
This is a bus assisted trip, which will last most of the day. We will meet at the bus stop outside the Central Library at 9am. There are 48 places for this trip, sign up with me. First come first served, no changing your mind. The purpose of this trip is to explore the sites that remain witness to the experience and impact of Japanese occupation from 1942-45, for all who went through it. This will take us from Chinatown to Beach Road to the Japanese Cemetery to the Changi area, beach and museum, with lunch in between.
FAQ
What happens if it rains?
We get wet. Come prepared.
What if I am late at the rendezvous?
We leave on time, be there.
What will these trips cost?
Nothing, except what you want to buy yourself for lunch.
What should I wear?
Sun block and anti-mosquito spray, plus, my suggestion, a hat, long pants and comfortable walking shoes. This is a special note to the ladies: high heeled shoes are NOT good field trip walking shoes. Note to everyone: open toed sandals are NOT good field trip walking shoes.
Should I take notes?
Considering you are doing an assignment* connected to one of the trips yes you should. And ask lots of questions. Bring a tape recorder and camera if you want.
*This is the assignment:
Field trips—
Military history is made in the field. As we live in the midst of our subject we are going to exploit that fact. I will lead the following five field trips, on Saturdays:
1) Fort Canning and the original defences of Classical and British Singapore
2) Fort Siloso and the defences of Keppel Harbour
3) World War II in Singapore: three trips:
a. The defences of Singapore
b. The battle of Singapore
c. Japanese Occupation of Singapore
Everyone will be required to attend TWO of these trips, and write an individual short essay on a question related to ONE of them. The paper will focus on a specific question addressed by the trip. Details—dates of trips, sign up lists, arrangements—will follow shortly, when enrollment is confirmed. Each essay will be due two weeks after the trip you choose to work on. The essay instructions are:
Write a 1000-1500 words essay, with proper attribution and citation of sources, on one of the following questions. Draw on both standard text sources and discussion/insights derived from the trip:
Trip 1, Fort Canning and the original defences of Singapore—
Can we learn anything credible about defending Singapore before 1819? Why or why not?
Or…
+ Was British Singapore defensible before Fort Canning was built? Why or why not?
or…
+ Did Fort Canning meet the defence needs of British Singapore when it was built? Why or why not?
Trip 2, Fort Siloso and the defences of Keppel Harbour, before 1918—
+ Why were so many batteries built on Blakang Mati before 1918? Was the money well spent?
or…
+ Was there a crisis in British Singapore’s harbour defences before the Great War? Why or why not?
Trip 3, Singapore and World War II—The Defences of Singapore—
+Was Singapore well defended by December 1941? Why or why not?
Trip 4, Singapore and World War II—The Battle of Singapore—
+ Is there any point to studying the battle of Singapore island in February 1942? Why or why not?
Trip 5, Singapore and World War II—Japanese Occupation—
+ What label best describes this experience: an example of human barbarity; a testament of human endurance; something else? Why?
