Postage stamps and postal history of Singapore British colonial rule, Singapore grew in importance rapidly becoming a major port city. During World War II, Singapore was occupied by Japan from 1942 to 1945. After the war, Singapore reverted to British control, with increasing levels of self-government being granted, culminating in Singapore's merger with the Federation of Malaya to form Malaysia in 1963. Singapore became an independent republic on 9 August 1965. Singapore was originally part of the Straits Settlements and used the colony's stamps. During World War II, Singapore was occupied by the Japanese between 1942 and 1945. After the surrender of the Japanese Occupation forces at
Asian and Pacific theatre of World War I on Germany. The German and Austro-Hungarian concessions in Tientsin and Hankow were occupied and their nationals detained. An even more serious plot was Germany's funding of the Constitutional Protection Movement, which geographically split China into two rival governments for eleven years. Asian and Pacific theatre of World War I The Asian and Pacific theatre of World War I consisted of various naval battles and the Allied conquest of German colonial possessions in the Pacific Ocean and China. The most significant military action was the careful and well-executed Siege of Tsingtao in what is now China, but smaller actions were also