To paraphrase Harry S. Truman, some countries are born independent. Some achieve independence. Some, like Singapore, had independence thrust upon them. Some 70% of the people of the Singapore voted to join Malaysia, for the benefits of a common market and internal security, but the two never got along well. Malaysia expected favorable treatment of its people, and race riots broke out in Singapore against the Malays. In response, the Malaysian government voted unanimously to kick Singapore out from the union.

On this day, August 9, in 1965, Singapore reluctantly became an independent republic. Singapore’s chief minister, Lee Kuan Yew gave a tearful televised press conference, saying  “For me, it is a moment of anguish. All my life, my whole adult life, I have believed in the merger and unity of the two territories.”

Many doubted the nation’s survival: infrastructure was minimal, unemployment was in the double digit rate, and access to the Malaysian market was just lost. But Singapore persevered, joining the United Nations, investing heavily in modernizing the economy, and becoming the regional textile production center.