Summary Of Urbanization

The article was written by Gregg Huff and Gillian Huff regarding the urbanization that happened during Japanese occupation in Southeast Asia countries during World War II and the after effect of the occupation. The ten main cities developed due to the export oriented Southeast Asian trade and industry specialty in few primary commodities were Rangoon, Bangkok, Singapore, Penang, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Surabaya, Saigon-Cholon, Hanoi and Manila. The biggest six which were Rangoon, Bangkok, Singapore, Jakarta, Saigon-Cholon and Manila function as dominant intermediaries between Southeast Asia and the West.

The paper provides the analysis of demographic transformation in those Southeast Asia main cities in 1940s. The demographic fluctuations were

These prevent analysis of all cities and countries with equal levels of details. The wartime urbanization of Singapore was the results of food supplies and employment opportunities that existed even though at a time of chaos and the presence of a large military, there was a large refugee inflow as the Japanese advanced down the Malay Peninsula towards Singapore. The factor of wartime urbanization was food and fear. There were si principal sources of food account for the ability of main cities in food-deficit areas largely to avoid famine and to attract surrounding area migrant which were Japanese rationing systems, working for the Japanese, urban cultivation and squatter settlements, food imports, relief efforts and black

However, food availability and unsettled conditions in the countryside drew large numbers back to Manila. Some evacuees found that they were ill-suited to agriculture. Besides that, the presence of guerilla resistance and unsafe rural areas also became the main factors to attract the population back to Manila. The rationing systems in Manila encountered some pressure due to the incapability of the government to control rice and the problem of the huge number of populace in Manila itself. The government then decided to deny rations to newcomers as a way to control the overpopulation of Manila. The proposal to end rations was failed for fear for social turbulence. The battle between the Allied and Japan contribute to massive destruction and depopulation in the city but the supply of food by the Allied; attract people back to the city and boost the number of