The Second World War was, in some ways, one of the lowest points in Malaysia's history. Japanese forces landed on the northeast border of Malaya on 8 December 194 1 and, in one month, succeeded in establishing their control of both Peninsula Malaya and Sabah and Sarawak. On 15 March 1942, Singapore surrendered. Singapore was renamed Shonan and became the centre of a regional administrative headquarters that incorporated the Straits Settlements, and the Federated Malay States and Sumatra. Much like the British who had installed residents in the Malay ruling houses fifty years earlier, the Japanese appointed local governors to each state. The only difference was that this time, it was the Sultans who were placed in the positions of advisors. The Unfederated Malay States, Perlis, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu found themselves back under the sovereignty of Thailand in 1942, when Thailand declared war on Britain and the USA. Most large scale economic activities grounded to a halt during the period of the War. The production of tin which was already falling before the War stopped almost completely. People turned their occupation away from the cultivation of commercial crops, concentrating instead on planting rice and vegetables to ensure they did not go hungry. [1
