Pivotal Moments
Thirty-eight short documentaries on the decisions and crises that shaped Singapore, from the 1962 merger referendum to GE2025. Each episode tells one turning point, built from a verified document in this archive.
New episodes are released daily at 8pm Singapore time, in historical order, each with three Shorts. Watching is free, with no account needed.
What to Expect
Short and Captioned
Each episode runs about four to six minutes on YouTube, with subtitles throughout. Shorter vertical clips follow on Shorts, Reels and TikTok.
Archive First
Real photographs, documents and recorded words come first, each credited on screen. Any AI-generated atmosphere is labelled as such.
Checked Against Sources
Every line of narration is traced to a cited claim in the archive document and checked independently before an episode is finished.
The Episodes
Numbered in historical order and released as they are finished. Titles of unfinished episodes are working titles. Each one links to the document it is built from.
Season 1 · Founding
1962–1979- 01The 1962 Referendum: Three Options, All MergerSG-K-02Out 19 Oct
- 02Operation Coldstore, 1963: The Night of the ArrestsSG-K-03Planned
- 03The 1964 Race Riots: Rebuilding Trust After FearSG-K-18Out 20 Oct
- 04Separation, 1965: The 25 DaysSG-K-01Watch on YouTube →
- 05British Withdrawal, 1968: Losing the BasesSG-A-19Out 20 Oct
- 06National Service, 1967: Building an Army From ScratchSG-K-04Out 20 Oct
- 07The Water Agreements: A Lifeline Across the CausewaySG-K-23Out 20 Oct
- 08Bilingualism: English for Work, Mother Tongue for RootsSG-K-05Out 20 Oct
- 09Home Ownership, 1964: When HDB Began Selling FlatsSG-D-01Out 20 Oct
- 10The Laju Hijacking, 1974: Guarantors for Safe PassageSG-K-26Out 21 Oct
- 11The Speak Mandarin Campaign, 1979: Specific Groups, Year by YearSG-G-31Out 21 Oct
Season 2 · Building the System
1985–2007- 12The 1985 Recession: Cutting Employer CPF to Save JobsSG-K-19Out 21 Oct
- 13GRCs, 1988: Guaranteeing Minorities a SeatSG-K-06Out 31 Oct
- 14The Elected Presidency, 1991: A Second KeySG-K-07Out 1 Nov
- 15Ministerial Pay, 1994: The Price of TalentSG-K-08Out 1 Nov
- 16Michael Fay, 1994: Sovereignty and the SuperpowerSG-K-28Out 1 Nov
- 17Flor Contemplacion, 1995: Law and DiplomacySG-K-29Out 2 Nov
- 18Why Singapore Cut Employer CPF in 1998SG-K-36Out 1 Nov
- 19SARS 2003: One Hospital for SARS CasesSG-K-20Out 2 Nov
- 20The Casino Decision, 2005: Betting on ResortsSG-K-09Out 1 Nov
- 21The 2007 GST Rise: Paying for the Safety NetSG-K-48Out 1 Nov
Season 3 · The New Era
2011–2025- 22GE2011: The Watershed ElectionSG-K-10Out 2 Nov
- 23Little India Riot, 2013: Inquiry, Then LawSG-K-27Out 3 Nov
- 24Pioneer Generation Package, 2014SG-K-46Out 2 Nov
- 25March 2015: A Nation Mourns Lee Kuan YewSG-K-12Out 2 Nov
- 26Reserving the Presidency, 2016SG-K-55Out 3 Nov
- 2738 Oxley Road: Who Decides What Is Kept?SG-K-13Out 2 Nov
- 28The SingHealth Breach, 2018: When Records Were StolenSG-K-21Out 4 Nov
- 29POFMA, 2019: Legislating Against FalsehoodsSG-K-11Out 3 Nov
- 30Circuit Breaker, 2020: Locking Down a City-StateSG-K-14Out 3 Nov
- 31The Dormitory Outbreak, 2020: Containing a CrisisSG-K-15Out 3 Nov
- 32Drawing on the Reserves, 2020: Spending for a Rainy DaySG-K-49Out 3 Nov
- 33FICA, 2021: Guarding Against Foreign InterferenceSG-K-52Out 4 Nov
- 34Repealing 377A, 2022: Two Bills, One DaySG-K-37Out 4 Nov
- 35Sanctioning Russia, 2022: A Small State Takes a StandSG-K-51Out 4 Nov
- 36Lease Decay: When a 99-Year Home Runs DownSG-K-50Out 5 Nov
- 37Handing Over to the Fourth GenerationSG-K-53Out 4 Nov
- 38GE2025: A New Prime Minister's First ElectionSG-K-34Out 4 Nov
While you wait, read every document in the archive now, or ask the AI anything.