Activity 1 - How did the British win?

  1. Recall - Examine and make notes from Slides 1-4 of the Lesson Presentation on the key events that led to the end of the conflict. 
  2. Mind Map - Examine your notes from the last lesson on the course of the war. Create a mind map that sorts the various possible causes of British victory under the following headings:
    1. Social - issues related to ethnic tensions and social problems
    2. Political - issues related to civil rights, the political system, and political leadership
    3. Economic - issues related to quality of life, jobs, the economy
    4. Relations - issues related to influence of other nations and events
    5. Military - issues related to battlefield tactics, strategies, and technologies
  3. Discuss - How was the insurgency defeated? Was it due to military success on the battlefield? The winning of Malayan hearts & minds? Political negotiation? Or was it more about MCP failures? 

Activity 2 - Why did the British win?

  1. Explore - Examine and make notes from Slides 5-7 of the Lesson Presentation on the different perspectives about why the insurgency was defeated.
  2. Analysis - Examine the sources on this worksheet which discuss the relative importance of the various reasons for British victory in the Malayan Emergency. Colour code each source to indicate which perspective you think that source supports:
    1. Orthodox Perspective - Templar Plan focus on hearts and minds was the main reason
    2. Revisionist Perspective - Briggs Plan military focus and population control was the main reason
    3. Other Perspectives - Foreign events, Role of Malayans, Failures of the MNLA/MCP etc... 
  3. Write - To what extent was British success in Malaysia due to the success in 'winning hearts and minds' of the Malayan population?

Activity 3 - What other perspectives exist?

  1. Read - This article by Mark Curtis focuses on the brutal tactics used by the British in the war against the Rebels. It comes from his book Web of Deceit which is highly critical of British foreign policy in the post war world.
    1. According to Curtis, what are the origins of this war?
    2. What other actions did the British take during 'The Emergency'?
    3. List the actions taken by the British to defeat the rebels - which of these are particularly shocking?
    4. According to Curtis, what are the reasons for British success?
    5. What examples of 'collective punishments' does he give?
    6. What aspects of British policy were copied by the Americans in Vietnam?
    7. Why does he take issue with the view that the British were “fighting the communist terrorists to enable Malaya to become independent and help itself”
  2. Research - Research further the more controversial side of Britain's role in Malaysia and make notes on its use of ‘counter-terror’. The following articles may help you in this:
    1. New documents reveal cover-up of 1948 British 'massacre'
    2. Malaysians lose fight for 1948 'massacre' inquiry
    3. ‘Hearts and Minds?'’ British Counter-Insurgency
  3. Discuss - To what extent do you think British counter-terror atrocities were sanctioned by the British government?

Further Reading

OBLIGATORY READING
  1. Curtis, M. The war in Malaya, 1948-60. (2007, February 13). Mark Curtis.
RECOMMENDED READING
  1. Hack, Karl (2009). The Malayan Emergency as counterinsurgency paradigm. Journal of Strategic Studies, 32(3) pp. 383–414.
SUPPLEMENTAL READING
  1. Stubbs, R. (1990). Hearts and Minds in Guerrilla Warfare: The Malayan Emergency 1948-1960, pp. 246-253
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