To What Extent Was the Process of Decolonization in Southeast Asia a Violent Struggle Essay Example

the government, the USA used the Marshall plan to convince the Dutch to withdraw from Indonesia and grant them independence.

Next, in Malaya, the communist emergency of June 1948 also helped the British remove a potent threat and in turn helped to guide Malaya toward independence. The communist emergency involved a lot of bloodshed as on 18 June 1948, the Malayan National Liberation Army (MNLA), a branch of the MCP, shot dead 3 European rubber plantation owners in Perak and called for special security measures to be enacted to deal with the crisis. A state of emergency was declared and the military was sent to the jungle to fight the MNLA, with reinforcements coming in from overseas to aid the British in their battle.

This thus led to the defeat and the alienation of the MCP, making it much easier for the British to negotiate independence for Malaya and thus helping to allow for a British withdrawal, though the path to independence was lined with bloodshed. Finally, in Vietnam, decolonization also came as a result of a communist victory in battle as there was the incidence of the first indo-china war from 1946-1954, or more specifically, the battle of Dien Bien Phu between the communist Viet Minh and the French colonial forces.

During the battle, the French attempted to lure the Viet Minh to a remote valley and devastate them. However, the Viet Minh got support of the locals and managed to take over the last French position on 7 May 1954, forcing the French to leave as dictated during the Geneva conference. Next, the process of Decolonization in Southeast Asia was

a violent struggle as the colonial powers used force and fear to crack down on nationalistic movements to reassert their power and in turn, cause the entire process of decolonization in Southeast Asia to be one of violence.

This may be seen in Indonesia where in December 1929, the Dutch stepped up efforts to contain nationalism and arrested Sukarno and 7 other nationalist leaders, intensifying their political repression over the people in Indonesia. Next, this can also be seen in Vietnam where in February 1930, the Yen Bai Mutiny occurred where the Vietnamese Nationalist Party (VNQDD) sponsored a revolt against the French officers. The French responded to this by purging the army of dissidents by either killing or arresting them.

The VNQDD was virtually liquidated in this crackdown and several thousands were killed or arrested by the French. This thus shows the violence of the Colonial masters while the colonized nation was fighting for independence. Moreover, the colonial master’s use of force to control and exert power further adds to the violence in the struggle for independence during the process of decolonization. Finally, during the Spanish-American war of 1898, the US obtained Aguinaldo’s cooperation in the battle again the Spanish fleet in Manila Bay in return for Philippines’ independence.

However, one the conflict ended and Spain was defeated, the US annexed Philippines in the Treaty of Paris and this was met with much unhappiness in the Philippines as the Philippines did not want to be colonized yet again and wanted independence. As such, a war between the revolutionaries and the Americans ensued, with the revolutionaries crushed by the US forces and Aguinaldo

arrested, asserting American authority and power over the Philippines. As such, it may be seen that the colonial powers used violence to assert and einforce their power, thus making the entire process of decolonization extremely violent due to the colonialists’ unwillingness to pull out of their colonies. Finally, it may be said that the process of decolonization in Southeast Asia was not totally a violent struggle as peaceful negotiations also managed to hasten the process of decolonization in Southeast Asia and it helped the Southeast Asian nations attain independence relatively peacefully.

Moreover, the colonial masters, with much negotiation, also helped to chart a path for the country to attain independence. This is most evident in the Philippines where the USA signed the Tydings-McDuffie act of 1934 to promise the Philippines independence in 1946 and would ease the transition to independence and the US’ decolonization by appointing a provisional government to serve for ten years to help the future leaders gain experience to lead. This was done through peaceful negotiation and did not require any violence or bloodshed to make possible.

Next, the process of decolonization was also achieved through peaceful negotiations in Malaya as General Sir Gerald Templer, the high commissioner of Malaya from 1952-1954, believed in and supported political progress in Malaya and helped to advance Malaya toward independence. In December 1951, he introduced the “Member System” where people of different races would be appointed into the legislative council to foster a national identity and a sense of belonging for all races, not just the Malays.

His actions led to the Municipal elections of 1951 and Federal elections of 1955 which

gave the locals experience to lead their country, thereby allowing Malaya to be decolonized and attain independence on 31 August 1957. Finally, the process of decolonization was achieved through peaceful negotiation in Burma as in January 1947, Aung San led a delegation to London to meet with British Prime Minister Clement Atlee who agreed to Aung San’s Demands for an election to vote in a constituent assembly who would draw up a constitution for Burma’s independence.

Even though Aung San was assassinated by U Saw’s lackeys on 19 July 1947, his negotiations with Atlee had paved the way for Burma’s independence and on 17 October 1947, U Nu(the succeeding Prime Minister after Aung San) obtained British recognition of Burma as an independent country, all without bloodshed during this process of negotiation for decolonization. As such, it may be said that Decolonization was not totally a violent struggle as peaceful negotiations did indeed take lace. As such, it may be said that although the process of decolonization was laden with bloodshed and violence, it is unfair to say that it was a totally violent struggle as peaceful negotiations did take place on top of the violence that occurred. As such, the process of decolonization in Southeast Asia was not totally a violent struggle as there were moments of peace in Southeast Asia amidst the violence that occurred during the process of decolonization.