Counterrevolution: The Malayan Example

Abstract

The British success in defeating Communist rebellion in Malaya between 1948 and 1960 has long been held up as an example for others to follow, particularly the United States. One leading British counterinsurgency specialist, Sir Robert Thompson, who served in Malaya throughout the Emergency, argued that "the counter-measures developed and proved in Malaya…would have succeeded in the early stages in Vietnam if they had been suitably adapted and consistently and intelligently employed."

This article can also be found at the Monthly Review website, where most recent articles are published in full.

Click here to purchase a PDF version of this article at the Monthly Review website.