Singapore played a small part in the development of Southeast Asian history until Sir Stamford Raffles founded a British port there. Under British colonial rule, Singapore has turned into a very strategic harbor considering its location amidst the trade routes between India and China that eventually became among the most important ports in the world to this day. During World War II, Singapore was occupied by Japanese troops from 1942 to 1945.

After the war, local people were justified in running their own government but had not yet achieved independence. Soon in 1963 Singapore has joined the Malay Land together with Sabah and Sarawak to form Malaysia. But Singapore was expelled from Malaysia and became a republic on 9 August 1965.