Deadline: 1 August 2012
The Young Historian Essay Competition is a nation-wide writing competition that offers young people a platform to write and publish their work. In conjunction with the 70th Anniversary of the Fall of Singapore in 2012, the competition will be based on the theme of the Academic Conference, “The Causes and Impact of the Fall of Singapore”.
A selection of the best essays may, at the discretion of the Organisers, be published in a book along with the papers presented by the speakers at the Academic Conference. The book will be launched on 8 December 2012, which is the anniversary of the attack on Singapore in 1941.
To enter the competition, please read the terms and conditions carefully and fill in the entry form.
THE CATEGORIES COVER THE FOLLOWING AGE GROUPS:
IMPORTANT NOTES:
1. All entrants must comply with the Terms and Conditions of the Essay Competition.
2. All entrants below the age of 18 shall obtain the approval in writing from his/her parent/guardian, who shall complete Appendix A of the entry form in full.
3. All essays must be accompanied by a completed entry form which must be received no later than 1 August 2011.
HOW DO I ENTER?
Select one of the questions below from the relevant category and write an essay on it within the word limit. You may also write on a topic of your own within the theme of “The Causes and Impact of the Fall of Singapore”. We encourage you to use primary sources in your research.
Essay submission period: 1 June 2012 to 1 August 2012
ESSAY QUESTIONS
A. Junior: 13-16 years in 2012 (max. 2,000 words) and
B. Senior: 17-18 years in 2012 (max. 2,500 words)
1. The Fall of Singapore was regarded as the “worst disaster and largest capitulation in British history" by Winston Churchill. What are your thoughts on this?
2. What is the significance of the Fall of Singapore in our journey to independence?
3. Imagine that you are a civilian during the Japanese Occupation. How did life change for you and your family?
4. If you were to meet an ex-Prisoner of War, what would you say to him/her? Write a narrative of the exchange you envision would take place.
5. The Japanese Occupation of Singapore from 1942 to 1945 has seen the emergence of many war heroes. Write about one significant war hero who made an impression on you.
6. Why was Singapore previously believed to be an “impregnable fortress” that was able to withstand the Japanese invasion?
7. Was the fall of Singapore inevitable after the loss of Malaya?
8. In your opinion, what was the greatest impact that the Fall of Singapore had on the Southeast Asian region?
9. What lessons can Singapore today draw from the fall of Singapore in February 1942?
10. Topic of your choice within the theme of “The Causes and Impact of the Fall of Singapore”.
C. Tertiary and Open : 19 – 26 years in 2012 (max. 3,000 words)
1. Lieutenant General Arthur Percival and General Tomoyuki Yamashita were the two key generals during the Battle for Malaya and Singapore. Decisions made by both shaped the outcome of these battles. Who do you think played a more critical role in the British defeat?
2. “Gibraltar of the East” and “Impregnable Fortress” were the names given to Singapore based on its seemingly infallible defence strategy. Thus, the fall of Singapore shocked many when it happened on the 15th of February 1942. Write an essay about the overview of the Singapore defence strategy and why it failed when the Japanese attacked.
3. Once the British failed to maintain command of the sea in the Pacific region, the fate of Singapore was sealed. Discuss.
4. A series of miscalculations hindered the British defence forces during the Battle of Singapore (February 1942). Identify these miscalculations and assess their significance.
5. Describe how the Fall of Singapore has been remembered in Singapore’s history based on written narratives and/or commemorative events. What are some of the dominant themes that you can identify? Discuss.
6. How have the policies implemented during the Japanese Occupation impacted Singapore over the years?
7. Who would you consider to be a Singapore war hero? Discuss the reasons for your selection. (You may write about one or more persons)
8. Singapore war history is dominated by state-focused imperatives such as national education and nation building. Comment.
9. Topic of your choice within the theme of “The Causes and Impact of the Fall of Singapore”.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
1. All entrants must agree to and comply with these Terms and Conditions.
2. The competition is open to all Singapore citizens or Permanent Residents under the following age group categories:
3. Each entrant may submit only 1 essay for the competition.
4. Employees of the Singapore History Consultants and the National Archives of Singapore (the “Organisers”) are not eligible to participate in the competition.
5. The essay must be the original work of the entrant.
6. The essay must be in English and typed double-spaced.
7. A summary of no more than 200 words highlighting the main points of the essay must also be provided.
8. The essays must contain detailed endnotes/footnotes and a bibliography, which must fully acknowledge the source of information, data, ideas, quotes and any other use of the work belonging to others.
9. Recommended citation style: http://www.fas.nus.edu.sg/hist/doc/onwritingessays.pdf
10. The best essays will be selected at the sole discretion of a panel of judges selected by the Organisers. All decisions are final and no appeals or correspondences will be entertained.
11. A selection of the best essays may, at the discretion of the Organisers, be published in a book.
12. By participating in this competition, winners agree to the disclosure of their names and other particulars for publicity purposes and agree to co-operate and participate in publicity activities (including photographs and videos) without any payment or compensation.
13. Apart from the terms set out above, the particulars of entrants will be kept confidential.
14. The entrant agrees :
(a) to grant to the Organisers a non-exclusive, non-transferable, worldwide, perpetual, royalty-free right and licence to reproduce the essays or adapt them in any form or medium for educational, marketing, advertisement, promotional or any other activities prepared or organised by the Organisers; provided that
(b) if the essay is awarded a prize in the competition, the full copyright in the essay shall be transferred to and vest in the Organisers at no costs.
15. The Organisers reserve the right to reasonably amend the terms of the competition from time to time and all entrants and winners agree to be bound by the same.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
For inquiries: rescon@shc.com.sg
For submissions: Email the essay (as a Microsoft Word document) and the entry form rescon@shc.com.sg with your name, email address and contact number clearly stated.
Website: http://www.nhb.gov.sg/
The Young Historian Essay Competition is a nation-wide writing competition that offers young people a platform to write and publish their work. In conjunction with the 70th Anniversary of the Fall of Singapore in 2012, the competition will be based on the theme of the Academic Conference, “The Causes and Impact of the Fall of Singapore”.
A selection of the best essays may, at the discretion of the Organisers, be published in a book along with the papers presented by the speakers at the Academic Conference. The book will be launched on 8 December 2012, which is the anniversary of the attack on Singapore in 1941.
To enter the competition, please read the terms and conditions carefully and fill in the entry form.
THE CATEGORIES COVER THE FOLLOWING AGE GROUPS:
- Junior: 13-16 years in 2012
- Senior: 17-18 years in 2012
- Tertiary/Open: 19 – 26 years in 2012
IMPORTANT NOTES:
1. All entrants must comply with the Terms and Conditions of the Essay Competition.
2. All entrants below the age of 18 shall obtain the approval in writing from his/her parent/guardian, who shall complete Appendix A of the entry form in full.
3. All essays must be accompanied by a completed entry form which must be received no later than 1 August 2011.
HOW DO I ENTER?
Select one of the questions below from the relevant category and write an essay on it within the word limit. You may also write on a topic of your own within the theme of “The Causes and Impact of the Fall of Singapore”. We encourage you to use primary sources in your research.
Essay submission period: 1 June 2012 to 1 August 2012
ESSAY QUESTIONS
A. Junior: 13-16 years in 2012 (max. 2,000 words) and
B. Senior: 17-18 years in 2012 (max. 2,500 words)
1. The Fall of Singapore was regarded as the “worst disaster and largest capitulation in British history" by Winston Churchill. What are your thoughts on this?
2. What is the significance of the Fall of Singapore in our journey to independence?
3. Imagine that you are a civilian during the Japanese Occupation. How did life change for you and your family?
4. If you were to meet an ex-Prisoner of War, what would you say to him/her? Write a narrative of the exchange you envision would take place.
5. The Japanese Occupation of Singapore from 1942 to 1945 has seen the emergence of many war heroes. Write about one significant war hero who made an impression on you.
6. Why was Singapore previously believed to be an “impregnable fortress” that was able to withstand the Japanese invasion?
7. Was the fall of Singapore inevitable after the loss of Malaya?
8. In your opinion, what was the greatest impact that the Fall of Singapore had on the Southeast Asian region?
9. What lessons can Singapore today draw from the fall of Singapore in February 1942?
10. Topic of your choice within the theme of “The Causes and Impact of the Fall of Singapore”.
C. Tertiary and Open : 19 – 26 years in 2012 (max. 3,000 words)
1. Lieutenant General Arthur Percival and General Tomoyuki Yamashita were the two key generals during the Battle for Malaya and Singapore. Decisions made by both shaped the outcome of these battles. Who do you think played a more critical role in the British defeat?
2. “Gibraltar of the East” and “Impregnable Fortress” were the names given to Singapore based on its seemingly infallible defence strategy. Thus, the fall of Singapore shocked many when it happened on the 15th of February 1942. Write an essay about the overview of the Singapore defence strategy and why it failed when the Japanese attacked.
3. Once the British failed to maintain command of the sea in the Pacific region, the fate of Singapore was sealed. Discuss.
4. A series of miscalculations hindered the British defence forces during the Battle of Singapore (February 1942). Identify these miscalculations and assess their significance.
5. Describe how the Fall of Singapore has been remembered in Singapore’s history based on written narratives and/or commemorative events. What are some of the dominant themes that you can identify? Discuss.
6. How have the policies implemented during the Japanese Occupation impacted Singapore over the years?
7. Who would you consider to be a Singapore war hero? Discuss the reasons for your selection. (You may write about one or more persons)
8. Singapore war history is dominated by state-focused imperatives such as national education and nation building. Comment.
9. Topic of your choice within the theme of “The Causes and Impact of the Fall of Singapore”.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
1. All entrants must agree to and comply with these Terms and Conditions.
2. The competition is open to all Singapore citizens or Permanent Residents under the following age group categories:
- Junior: 13-16 years in 2012
- Senior: 17-18 years in 2012
- Tertiary/Open: 19 – 26 years in 2012.
3. Each entrant may submit only 1 essay for the competition.
4. Employees of the Singapore History Consultants and the National Archives of Singapore (the “Organisers”) are not eligible to participate in the competition.
5. The essay must be the original work of the entrant.
6. The essay must be in English and typed double-spaced.
7. A summary of no more than 200 words highlighting the main points of the essay must also be provided.
8. The essays must contain detailed endnotes/footnotes and a bibliography, which must fully acknowledge the source of information, data, ideas, quotes and any other use of the work belonging to others.
9. Recommended citation style: http://www.fas.nus.edu.sg/hist/doc/onwritingessays.pdf
10. The best essays will be selected at the sole discretion of a panel of judges selected by the Organisers. All decisions are final and no appeals or correspondences will be entertained.
11. A selection of the best essays may, at the discretion of the Organisers, be published in a book.
12. By participating in this competition, winners agree to the disclosure of their names and other particulars for publicity purposes and agree to co-operate and participate in publicity activities (including photographs and videos) without any payment or compensation.
13. Apart from the terms set out above, the particulars of entrants will be kept confidential.
14. The entrant agrees :
(a) to grant to the Organisers a non-exclusive, non-transferable, worldwide, perpetual, royalty-free right and licence to reproduce the essays or adapt them in any form or medium for educational, marketing, advertisement, promotional or any other activities prepared or organised by the Organisers; provided that
(b) if the essay is awarded a prize in the competition, the full copyright in the essay shall be transferred to and vest in the Organisers at no costs.
15. The Organisers reserve the right to reasonably amend the terms of the competition from time to time and all entrants and winners agree to be bound by the same.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
For inquiries: rescon@shc.com.sg
For submissions: Email the essay (as a Microsoft Word document) and the entry form rescon@shc.com.sg with your name, email address and contact number clearly stated.
Website: http://www.nhb.gov.sg/
