Britain and the Confrontation with Indonesia, 1960-66

Publishing Details

Classifications

Physical Properties

Description

The 'Confrontation' is Britain's forgotten war. Yet as David Easter shows, it was a major commitment involving over 54,000 British servicemen and near-escalation into full-scale war with Indonesia. President Sukarno's 'Confrontation' of Indonesia was an attempt to destroy Britain's plans for Malayasia by guerilla warfare including air and sea landings, and Britain responded with a secret war by supporting rebel groups, propaganda and clandestine cross-border raids. Sukarno was finally overthrown by a pro-Western military government which renounced the Confrontation and accepted Malaysia. Britain's policy, however seemingly successful was, however, vital in her post-imperial retreat from empire and in abandoning her global defence role.

Reviews

Royal Institute of International Affair Journal: "a keen and focused eye" "where Easter breaks entirely new ground is in his treatment of the clandestine and covert side of Britain's struggle with Indonesia." "paints a revealing picture" "Easter gives us the best picture to date of the undertainties generated in Whitehall during the final months of the conflict" "a fine addition to the recent literature on the confrontation"

Author Bio

David Easter is a Tutorial Fellow at the London School of Economics in the University of London.