After the defeat of the Japanese
in the Second World War, a new problem emerged for Malaya’s colonial rulers.
After the Allied victory and when the British sought to reclaim their colonial
sovereignty over Malaya, they found resentment to foreign rule.
Chinese guerrilla fighters, who
had been armed and air supplied by the British during the war, emerged from the
jungle and under Chin Peng began their terror campaign to take over the country
by force. Thus an intense jungle war began between the Malayan Communist Party
and British, British Commonwealth and Malay forces.
The security forces coordinated
emergency operations, and created 500 new villages for Malayan citizens who had
lived in remote areas beyond government protection. These citizens previously
lived in constant fear that the Communists would appear and force them to
supply food and money.
By depriving the insurgents of
their critical sources of supplies and information, the Communists began to
attack the new settlements. However, the security forces were fighting on their
own ground, and proved too strong for the insurgents. These forces were able to
concentrate on jungle operations, thereby destroying the Communists and their
camps.
This was to be the only war the
West had won against Communism, lasting for twelve years, from 1948 until 1960.
we learn from the past :)
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