The Jaoanese Occupation of Singapore and Malaya, 1941-1945, was a traumatic period for the newly conquered people. More than 50 years later, writers are still returning to this period for literary inspiration. This article is a summary of more than 70 works focusing on the image of Japan during this time. Works divide into historical accounts, personal memoir, brutal images, human images and effects of the war. Several observations emerge regarding the use of history and the past in creating a national literature.