The language barrier was an impediment during the Malayan campaign during World War II. Not only did it prevent the military command from conducting an effective campaign against the Japanese invasion, but it also led to misunderstanding among soldiers and those in the resistance movement long after the war ended.

Singapore-born and Macau-based bilingual historian Chen Jian @ CC Chin attempts to bridge the communication and perception gaps. This is the second of a three-part series based on an email interview.

James Wong: In Malaysia, many people seem to have forgotten the period or consider that portion of history no longer relevant, but you and other historians like your colleague Karl Hack, Britain's Peter Elphick and Australian veteran journalist Ian Ward have continued to write and publish works from the late 1980s on the subjects of the Malayan campaign, fall of Singapore and Japanese Occupation (1941-1945). Hack, for example, has just published a very expensive but well-researched monograph entitled, ' Did Singapore Have To Fall '? (London, RoutledgeCurzon, 2004). Why? Who still buys and reads this kind of books?

Chen Jian: As historians, we would usually look further into the facts and figures of history and would 'dig' further into the findings that are mostly being ignored or 'forgotten' either because of sensitivity, or because the facts and figures were simply not available at the time of writing of previous books.

And, for reason mentioned before, it is no more a 'taboo' and it is for a time to present a 'new' view based upon a new standpoint in the interpretation. With volumes of more materials and information available or declassified from various countries and locations and, additionally, the availability of the oral historical accounts of veterans and people in the actions, a completely new narrative could be possible now.