Question about world war 2, Australia and Europe???

Question

Um, Japanese in WW2 Conquered alot of countries in Southeast Asia, one of which was Singapore. I was studying Singapore's history and the textbook here says "The Japanese interned the British, Australians and Allied Europeans in Singapore" I get the point about the British, but why the Australians and Europeans? I know that Australia was helping France and was a British colony right...so for that very reason they might have treated them cruely but Europeans???

Answer 1

Because they were at war with Australia as well.

And all europeans were suspect - France held Vietnam (Indochina) and the Dutch and Portugeuese also had Asian colonies.  The Japanese wanted Asia for themselves - so ALL Europeans with colonies were interned.

Answer 2

why not? every "european" was a suspect. people from neutral countries were either interned or forced to leave. For a while the French (loyal to Vichy) were tolerated but towards 1944 they were also arrested and in many cases killed.

the Italians were arrested after Italy surrendered to the Allies.

Answer 3

The Japanese were fighting australians all along kokoda, so they did not want information being past on to the australian army. This ment that they interned australians as well as their allys who could help as well. The Aussies would also have mainly soliders which is another reason.