Description

The first book to draw upon new files from the British National Archives, it also features interviews with veterans from both sides of the conflict to expose the truth behind the Batang Kali massacre

The Malayan Emergency (1948-1960) was the longest war fought by British and Commonwealth forces in the 20th century. Today this "war without a name" is largely forgotten, though it had a powerful and secret influence on American strategy in Vietnam. Drawing upon recently released files from the British National Archives, this history will unfold a compelling narrative based on eyewitness accounts from both government forces and Communist fighters, and will expose the truth about the notorious massacre of Chinese villagers at Batang Kali. Furthermore, it will show that British tactics in Malaya were more ruthless than historians have so far conceded. Like the conflict in colonial Kenya against the Mau-Mau, British tactics in Malaya involved massive resettlement programs, ethnic cleansing, indiscriminate aerial bombing, and the brutal exploitation of aboriginal forces.