History: Chapter 9 Flashcards
What was the Konfrontasi?
A policy Indonesia pursued against the formation of the Federation of Malaysia from 16 September 1963 to 9 August 1965. Singapore was a part of it, and it posed as a security threat. President Sukarno opposed the Federation of Malaysia as he believed that the British could still indirectly control them. Indonesia carried out acts of sabotage in Malaysia.
How did the Konfrontasi affect Singapore?
42 bombings were carried out. They targeted public places to terrorise the population and disrupt life. The deadliest incident was the MacDonald House on 10 March 1965 which killed 3 and injured 33, and damaged nearby buildings and cars. The two soldiers behind this were hanged, which stirred anger amongst Indonesian students. They attacked the Singapore embassy and homes of Singaporeans diplomats in Jakarta.
What did Singapore in response to the bombings?
SGeans were advised to stay alert and not handle suspicious parcels. A volunteer force was deployed to patrol neighbourhoods, and schools carried out emergency drills.
Types of terrorism SG had to deal with?
Communist Terrorism and International Terrorism.
How did the communist terrorism affect SG?
The Malayan Communist Party had split into smaller groups after it was over in 1960. They posed a danger to SG’s security. Police raids against these groups uncovered large quantities of weapons. The communists carried out acts of violence, one of the involving the killing of a seven-year-old girl in 1970, and several other incidents.
How did international terrorism affect SG?
On 31 January 1974, foreign terrorists hijacked the ferry boat Laju and held crew members hostage. They had earlier attacked the Shell oil refinery to disrupt oil supply from SG to South Vietnam. The terrorists negotiated and finally agreed to release the hostages in exchange for safe passages from SG to Kuwait.
How did the Vietnam War affect SG?
There was a war between South and North Vietnam. The United States and Asia were worried that if North Vietnam won, communism would spread to nearby countries and eventually the whole region. Hence the US gave military resources to South Vietnam. As the war was escalating, the SG government feared that the fighting would spread to the rest of the region and destabilise SG.
Why did the British withdraw from SG?
By the 1960s, they had a different view of their military involvement in Asia. They could no longer afford the large amount of money and resources to maintain the military commitment. The British government announced their withdrawal in 1967 and the withdrawal was completed in 1976.
What was the challenge SG faced when the British withdrew?
It left SG practically undefended. At the point of independence, they had only two battalions of regular infantry of of 50 officers and 1,000 men each, which was not enough for defence.
How did SG overcome its security challenges?
Deterrence: building a credible defence for to make enemies think twice before attacking and to help defend SG (National Service).
Diplomacy: establishing and developing strong relationships with other countries (strengthening relations with the world).
How did SG build a defence force to overcome security challenges?
National Service was introduced in 1967, which rapidly expanded the defence force, Singapore Armed Forces. Thousands of men were conscripted for at least two years of full-time NS. They still had to return for occasional military training after NS. By the end of the 1970s, the SAF had grown into a sizeable defence force and contributed to SG’s peace and stability.
What were the challenges of National Service?
People were anxious about NS as men from poor families would have to find a job quickly upon leaving school to support their family. With NS, they would lose that early income. Some had anxiety being away from their homes and families.
How did SG establish a home-grown defence industry?
Soldiers needed a whole range of equipment to train and fight wars. Relying on foreign countries for military equipment was a potential weakness as well. Hence, the Defence Minister Dr Goh Keng Swee established the Chartered Industries in SG in 1967 to produce ammunition and weapons for the SAF.
How did SG further strengthen its defence?
SG built on its existing relations with Commonwealth countries. This would allow SAF to buy equipment, train with, and learn from them. In 1971, SG, Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand and Britain established the Five Power Defence Arrangements. This committed the five members to consult one another in the event of an armed attack on SG or Malaysia. FPDA remains a relevant and defensive arrangement that contributes to regional peace and stability.
How did SG strengthen relations with the world to overcome its security challenges?
Diplomatic Relations: So that countries will recognise SG’s independence and not threaten, coerce or invade it.
Bilateral Relationships: SG built good relations with the United States and China. PM Lee Kuan Yew made a visit to China in 1976 to engage with Chinese leaders. SG also sought to improve ties with Indonesia. Tensions between countries eased in 1973 when LKY visited Jakarta and scattered flowers on the graves of the two Indonesian soldiers.
