Contending with nationalism and communism : British policy towards South-East Asia, 1945-65

This volume provides a lucid, concise analysis of the development of British policy in Southeast Asia in the twenty years following the defeat of Japan. The principal themes concern nationalism and communism and how Britain worked to achieve accommodation with nationalism while containing communist challenges. Contending With Nationalism and Communism provides a lucid, concise analysis of the development of British policy in South -East Asia in the twenty years following the defeat of Japan. The principal themes concern nationalism and communism and how Britain worked to achieve accommodation with nationalist movements while containing communist challenges. It is based on archival and published sources. This is the first study to cover British policy from the final stages of the Pacific War to the culmination of confrontation with Indonesia and escalation in Vietnam in 1965. British ministers and officials are seen as pragmatic and realistic, illustrated in the decisions to grant independence to Burma and Malaya, to support SEATO as a defensive concept, to avoid provoking Communist China, to encourage American involvement while discouraging dangerous American initiatives. The fundamental theme is is one of British assertiveness, extending to the close of the Geneva Conference in 1954, and then of gradual British withdrawal while American power expanded rapidly Front Matter....Pages i-xii Introduction....Pages 1-11 The Return of Colonialism, 1945–48....Pages 12-41 The Communist Challenges in Malaya and Indochina....Pages 42-72 Two Approaches to Containing Communism: The Colombo Plan and SEATO....Pages 73-96 Democracy, Communism and Militarism in Burma, 1948–65....Pages 97-127 Ambivalence and Commitment: Vietnam, 1955–65....Pages 128-157 Britain, Cambodia and Laos, 1955–65....Pages 158-187 Britain, Thailand and the Philippines, 1945–65....Pages 188-214 Britain, Indonesia and the Creation of Malaysia, 1959–65....Pages 215-245 Conclusion....Pages 246-252 Back Matter....Pages 253-312 This volume provides a lucid, concise analysis of the development of British policy in Southeast Asia in the 20 years following the defeat of Japan. The principal themes concern nationalism and communism and how Britain worked to achieve accommodation with nationalism while containing communist challenges "Based on extensive research in the archives, this book presents a comprehensive and straightforward account of post-war British policy in South East Asia that will be of much value to scholars."--Matthew Jones, University of Nottingham, UK