In the context of World War II, the Imperial Japanese Army launched a systematic extermination campaign against perceived hostile elements among the Chinese population in Singapore. Following the rapid fall of Singapore to Japanese forces in February 1942, the city became a focal point for Japanese military control in Southeast Asia. The Japanese viewed the Chinese community as a potential threat, largely due to their support for the Chinese Nationalist government and the anti-Japanese sentiment prevalent in some quarters. Under the guise of maintaining order, the Japanese military targeted Chinese residents, leading to widespread atrocities perpetrated against them. It is estimated that thousands of Chinese individuals became victims of executions carried out by the Japanese military, often in brutal and public displays intended to instill fear among the rest of the population.

The operation, initially termed the 'Sook Ching' (purge through cleansing), aimed to eliminate those who were seen as a threat to the Japanese occupation. Many victims were captured from their homes and taken to various locations where mass executions occurred. Families were torn apart, and entire communities lived in a state of terror. The campaign persisted for several weeks, culminating in significant loss of life and further compounding the trauma experienced by the local populace. These events not only highlighted the Japanese forces' ruthlessness but also set the tone for their occupation in the region, affecting post-war relations between communities and the Japanese authorities.

The impact of this brutal campaign continued long after the war, deeply ingraining distrust and resentment in the surviving Chinese community. The Sook Ching massacre would remain a painful memory, shaping narratives around identity, trauma, and memory in Singaporean history narratives. The repercussions also influenced the political landscape in post-war Singapore, leading to increased demands for independence and the rise of political consciousness among the Chinese-majority population.