The British Army, the Gurkhas and Cold War Strategy in the Far East, 1947–1954

Raffi Gregorian

• Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan
• Year: 2002
• Print ISBN:
  9780333801482
• eBook ISBN:
  9780230287167
• Topic: Storia
• Subtopic: Storia dell'Asia

This book argues that postwar Britain's 'imperial over-extension' has been exaggerated. Britain developed and adjusted its defence strategy based upon the perceived Communist threat and available resources. It was especially successful at adapting to meet the strategic and resource challenges from the Far East from 1947-54. There British and Gurkha forces were deployed only in contingencies that threatened vital British interests, while the U.S. and Commonwealth allies were persuaded to accept key wartime missions, thus preserving Britain's ability to fight in Western Europe.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Series
• Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• List of Tables
• List of Figures
• Acknowledgements
• Preface
• Glossary of Abbreviations
• 1 Introduction
• 2 ‘Future Defence Policy’: the Far East as Strategic Backwater, 1945–48
• 3 National Service, the Gurkhas and the Reorganization of the British Army, 1946–48
• 4 FARELF and the Malayan Emergency, 1948–50
• 5 ‘To the Last Round’: the Defense of Hong Kong, 1948–50
• 6 Adapting to Reality: the Far East and Cold War Strategy, 1950–54
• 7 Between the American Scylla and Chinese Charybdis: Hong Kong, 1950–54
• 8 Manpower, the Strategic Reserve and the Malayan Emergency, 1950–54
• 9 Siam and the Commonwealth Defense of Malaya
• 10 Limited Liability and the Defense of Southeast Asia, 1950–54
• 11 Conclusion
• Notes
• Select Bibliography
• Index