Malaya

• Malaya was occupied during WW2 by the Japanese.
• Malaya was a British colony during the second world war
• The colony was an important producer for tin and rubber
• Post war, the British Military Administration was established, however, GB wanted to establish civilian rule quickly.
• GB proposed a union in which Malay and non-Malayan citizens would all have equal rights.
• GB wanted to revitalise the economy and prepare Malaya for independence.

  Recognise Chinese resistance against the Japanese

  Maintain loyalty of the Chinese.
• 1st April 1946, Malayan Union came into effect but soon collapsed due to lack of Malay support. There was also a lack of support among Chinese and Indian population.
• The Federation of Malaya Agreement, Feb 1948 restored power of traditional Malay rulers and universal citizenship rights were dependent on 15 year residence.
• The Malaysian Communist Part (MCP) was small and poorly equipped in 1945
• The MCP worked within the political system and non violently campaigned for independence
• The MCP was inspired by Mao's progress in the Civil War
• 3 British planters had been murdered by MCP's Malayan Races Liberation Army therefore membership of the MCP was banned.
• The British thought the MCP was being directed by the Soviet Union. By 1951 it was accepted that teh MCP had no foregin support.
• The MRLA wanted to disrupt the economy by targeting mines and plantations along with managers and civilians.
• GB was authoritarian in their approach to the communists. They were arrested, military methods were used to contain the insurgency (British soldiers and Malay police).
• Malay police guarded the plantations.
• By 1955 the communists were effectively defeated and the emergency was over by 1960.
• The British achieved success through isolated the MCP through economic and political concessions to other Chinese.
• The British used Trioxene (Agent Orange) as a defoliants and deprived the insurgents of cover.
• Many moderate Chinese did not support the MCP
• Sir Gerland Templer's insurgency tactics helped the British win (strategic hamlets)
• British announced in 1952 that independence would be imminent (independence cam in 1957) this meant that people did not join the MCP
• The communists themselves were divided.
• The Malaya emergency was used as an example of aggressive communist expansion by Truman which shaped his policy towards Asia.