Activity 1 - How did the conflict develop?

  1. Research - Complete this worksheet examining the course of the conflict. Using the Lesson Presentation, and the resources below, investigate the actions of both the British Commonwealth forces and the MNLA: 
    1. Wikipedia Contributors. (2020, August 7). Malayan Emergency. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation. 
    2. Malayan Emergency | National Army Museum. (2020). Nam.Ac.Uk. 
    3. ‌A Short Guide To The Malayan Emergency. (2020). Imperial War Museums. 
    4. ‌Briggs Plan: Containment of the Communists. (2020, August 17). Blogspot.Com. 
    5. ‌Assessing the British Counter-Insurgency Effort in Malaya. (2015, February 11). E-International Relations. 
    6. ‌The war in Malaya, 1948-60. (2007, February 13). Mark Curtis. 
    7. ‌Liviniyah, P. (2019). Malayan Emergency | Infopedia. Nlb.Gov.Sg. 
    8. ‌The Malayan Emergency (1947-1960). (2020). Historyofwar.Org. 
    9. Malaya: The Myth of Hearts and Minds | Small Wars Journal. (2012). Smallwarsjournal.Com. 
    10. ‌Podcast - The Malayan Emergency. (2019, May 3). BBC. 
    11. ‌Ashby, R. (2020). Hearts and Minds: Malayan campaign re-evaluated - Defence Viewpoints from UK Defence Forum.
  2. Create - Using your research notes on the evolution of the conflict, make a timeline using Padlet (or similar) to illustrate how the conflict developed. Include at least ten events. Make sure each event has an image, date, and short description.
  3. Discuss - Examine the criteria here on how to measure historical significance. What were the most significant turning points of the conflict?
  4. Debate - Was British victory in the Emergency due to military, political or economic factors?

Activity 2 - What was the nature of the war?

  1. Watch - Watch the BBC documentary, ‘Empire Warriors - The Intelligence War’. Make notes from the video on this worksheet about how tactics evolved during the conflict.
  2. Examine - Explore the eight primary sources on this worksheet about the nature of the fighting in the Emergency, then answer the following questions:
    1. What does your source reveal about the tactics used by the British and the MNLA?
    2. What does your source tell us about the weapons and equipment used by both sides?
    3. What does your source suggest about which side was more effective in battle?
  3. Discuss - From what you’ve learnt so, discuss this question, “British victory in the Malayan Emergency was a result of superior weapons and technology, rather than tactics and strategy. To what extent do you agree?”
  4. Reflect - Do some brief research on the Batang Kali massacre of 1948 and the use of decapitations as a tactic in warfare. What do these horrible events tell us about the nature of fighting in guerrilla warfare?

Activity 3 - What forces fought in the war?

  1. Research - Choose one of the following nations that contributed to British Commonwealth forces during the Malayan Emergency and make some brief notes on the nature and extent of their military contribution to the campaign:
    1. Australia
    2. Borneo & Sarawak
    3. Fiji
    4. Gurkhas
    5. New Zealand
    6. Rhodesia
  2. Present - Create a short 2-3 mins visual presentation illustrating the nature and extent of the military contribution of your nation to the British Commonwealth Forces during the Malayan Emergency. 
  3. Discuss - To what extent could Britain have defeated the MNLA without the support of Commonwealth forces? 

Further Reading

OBLIGATORY READING
  1. Scurr, J., & Chappell, M. (1982). Osprey Men-at-Arms Series: The Malayan Campaign 1948-60. Osprey Publishing: London, p. 9-31
RECOMMENDED READING
  1. The “Lessons” of Britain’s Counterinsurgency in Malaya |  Perspectives on History | AHA. (2019). Historians.Org.
SUPPLEMENTAL READING
  1. Yao, S. (2016). The Malayan Emergency: A Small, Distant War. NIAS Press: Copenhagen, pp. 40-59
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