Presentation4

The Second World War in Southeast Asia

In little more than 3 months, Japan was in military control of the countries of French Indochina, the British possessions in Malaysia, Singapore and Borneo, almost all of the Netherlands East Indies (Indonesia) and was occupying Portuguese Timor.

Basically, Southeast Asia fell to the Japanese in less than six months of fighting.

The peoples of Southeast Asia found their new colonial masters.

Indonesia

Indonesian nationalists like Sukarno and Hatta decided to pursue their goal of true independence by joining with the Japanese, while many Indonesians hailed the Japanese as liberators.

One of the single most important aspects of the Japanese occupation of Indonesia was the involvement of the indigenous people in political organization of the country.

While Japanese military men were try to develop support for their country’s war effort, the Indonesians were taking the opportunity to demonstrate their identity.

The Japanese occupation provided another important symbolic guide for young Indonesians.

Malay and Singapore

The Chinese were regarded as enemies and were treated savagely, at the beginning of the occupation when ten thousands of Chinese were executed.

In contrast, less harsh treatment was accorded the Malays and the Indians, showing some deference to traditional Malay leaders.

The Japanese also recruited members of the Indian minority to enroll in the Indian National Army for liberate India from the colonial rule.

Burma

The Japanese encouraged local politicians to become part of an administrative structure, in theory at least, they had a significant role to play.

Many thousands younger Burmese claimed the right to play part in the administration of the country.

The Japanese established a civilian Burmese administration headed by a well-known older nationalist, Ba Maw.

For a brief period of disagreement seemed to meet the divergent interests in both parties.

Burma

Japanese interests remained paramount and all discussion of Burmese independence, power remained firmly in the hands of the invading army.

The demand of war led the Japanese to seek the provision of food, other resources, and labour for their strategic rail and road building projects.

These led to the formation of a clandestine organization with the young military officer Aung San as a prominent member.

The Philippines

The Philippines politicians who worked with the Japanese never succeeded in seeming other than puppets.

The Japanese brutality against the civilian population and the heavy economic demands tended to reinforce a widespread feeling among ordinary.

There was both a significant guerilla resistance movement, and a large group of politicians and administrators worked with the invaders.

French Indochina

It was unique that the French administration continued to function until early 1945.

The French’s position remained because of its agreement made with the Japanese; its colonial territories were put at the will of them.

While military and political powers kept by the Japanese, they demanded for resources and manpower.

The Communists under the leadership of Ho Chi Minh succeeded in 1941 in establishing a political front organization.

The Tide of War Turns

The victories of 1942 had meant the establishment of new administrations in which local politicians played a part.

The Japanese interregnum had brought irrevocable change to the region and problems and opportunities differed greatly form country to country.

For Thailand, at the beginning, enlisting on the Japanese side gave of regaining control of areas of Cambodia and Laos and later Burma.

The Tide of War Turns (cont.)

As circumstances changed so did the Thai leadership begin its shift to a position that signaled a clear defection from the Japanese camp.

Traditional capacity for astute diplomacy, domestic skills and more demanding problems elsewhere in Southeast Asia saved Thailand from any serious humiliation.

The Tide of War Turns (cont.)

In Burma, as British and Indian military forces carried on a successful campaign defeating the Japanese army in 1945, the Allied Supreme Commander, Lord Louis Mountbatten, agreed to cooperate with the Burmese nationalists.

In the Philippines, the recon-quest took place with considerable assistance from various groups such as Hakbalahap and a Communist organization.

First Steps to Independence

The final Japanese surrender to the Allies took place in August 1945.

In Indonesia, Sukarno and Hatta proclaimed independence and served a notice of readiness to fight against any attempt at the predisposition of the Dutch rule.

In March 1945, six months before the end of the war, the Japanese forces overthrew the French administration.

First Steps to Independence (cont.)

It became possible for the communist-led Viet Minh forces to accelerate their efforts to gain power, and their forces were the most able and affective.

When Japan surrendered, Ho Chi Minh proclaimed the establishment of an independent Vietnam state on 2 September 1945.

Cambodia and Laos did not have the high drama that marked the closing stages of WWII.

First Steps to Independence (cont.)

Malaya had no significant nationalist movement. There was little local interest in nationalism.

Even though there was no resistance to the return of the British themselves once the war had ended, it was not greeted with flag-decked buildings or by cheering crowds.

Singapore was reverted to being a British crown colony.

British re-established their protectorate over the Brunei sultanate.

The Portuguese resumed their colony in April 1946.