A Do or Die decision

Posted by DottSG under Blogging, Heritage Sites and Trails, Museums/Heritage Galleries, Personal
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Fight on, retreat, surrender ... these were the options faced by the defenders of Bukit Chandu in the face of the advancing Japanese

The Battle for Bukit Chandu (Opium Hill) was fought on Feb 13 1942, just two days before the surrender of the British to the Invading Japanese.

For 48 hours, the Malay Regiment C Company and remnants from the 1st and 2nd Battalions engaged in one of the fiercest battles fought in Singapore.

They were greatly outnumbered, and when they ran out of ammunition, they turned to hand-to-hand combat to defend this strategic hill. Many groups of defenders fought to the last man.

As part of the War on Wheels programme last Friday organised by yesterday.sg and Heritage Television, 25 students, all aged 15, were taken on a tour of the museum Reflections of Bukit Chandu (RBC) along with several significant war sites.

At RBC, the students were asked to pen their thoughts on the significant question of that hill - Outnumbered and outgunned, victory for the defenders was near impossible.

They could have tried retreating as some history books suggest choosing to fight another day, or surrender and maybe escape later to fight again or press on knowing death death on this little hill would be the inevitable result.

What do young Singaporeans of today think and which option would they choose?

Here are some of their sentiments:

• I think their ultimate sacrifice to Singapore was worth it. In every war there are bound to be casualties and despite knowing this, they continued to fight for freedom. At least they tried their best and did not give up any glimmer of hope. Everyone should give a shot, no matter how futile their efforts seem.

• I feel that fighting was a good. By fighting they proved how much pride they had for Singapore or at least pride in their job. This is a true warrior.

• It would have been better to survive to fight another day since it was already a losing battle from the beginning.

• Perhaps if they retreated, things would have been better for them. But for the country, they were willing to sacrifice and I think this act of bravery and patriotism as worth it. This meant that Singapore did not lose the battle without even trying.

• I think it would have been better for them to retreat and live to fight another day. Knowing that they would never survive the fight, yet choosing to continue for honour, was perhaps foolhardy.  They failed to think about their families and the effects such a death would have on them - by dying while achieving nothing , it was rather a waste. If they retreated they could have spent more time with their families and planned their next battle better. Having experienced them once, they could possible outmaneuver the Japanese and fight a winning battle.

• I think given the circumstances, I respect their decision to continue to fight the Japanese with all they had.

• Surrender - being a more pragmatic person, I don’t really see a need for people to die for a cause without any benefit of the majority. Wouldn’t it be better to fight to actually win? But then again it is impossible to quit while fighting a war. There are too many things tied to it - patriotism, pride, courage, nobility, bravery etc etc. I guess for the sake of saving face and all that, you can’t quit. But then you are just another statistic.

• I believe the Regiment chose to continue fighting to show how strong Singapore is as a country despite being small. However it would have been smarter to retreat and fight another day, building up their strength to make a stronger comeback.

• Perhaps in a war, sometimes decision are made in an instant and the path of life is determined in the snap of a finder. To fight on knowing that their lives would end that day, is an act of courage. We should not undermine their sacrifice. Perhaps it might have been wiser to retreat and live. However I feel that during a war, every man has to fight to his last breath, and for them retreat, the cowardly way out, was not an option. Their sacrifice will live on in our hearts. They did not die in vain.

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