Psychological warfare of the malayan emergency 19481960. Malayan emergency the malayan emergency was the conflict that occurred shortly after the end of the second world war in british malaya from june 1948 till july 1960 between the british and her allies against chinese malay communists. This article rebuts recent attempts to diminish sir gerald templers role in the malayan emergency. Field marshal sir gerald walter robert templer kg free download as powerpoint presentation. General sir gerald templer now attempted to better understand the enemy. Psychological warfare and operations psyops also referred to as political warfare is the art and science of popular persuasion employ prior, during and after hostilities.
Sir gerald templer, featured on the cover of time magazine. A modest proposal to adjust the principles of war page 3. Field marshal sir gerald walter robert templer, kg, gcb, gcmg, kbe, dso 11 september 1898 25 october 1979 was a senior british army officer who fought in both the world wars. Psychological warfare of the malayan emergency psywar. Analysis of the malaysian communists customwritings. If we were to combine all the successful operational practices from a century of counterinsurgent warfare, the summary would suggest a campaign outline to combat the insurgency in presentday iraq.
General sir gerald templers period as high commissioner for malaya 195254 has provoked considerable and enduring controversy. The bangkok treaty had restricted the expansion of siamese power. The plan succeeded in eradicating communist violence use of military force sir gerald templer used army force to fight the communists he recruited 67,000 malay special soldiers and formed home guards systems with 210,000 strength he also sought assistance from the commonwealths military c 6 more aggressive attacks were launched. The british experience during the malayan emergency from 1948 to 1960 was a case in which doctrine was wanting. General sir gerald templer possessed the ideal leadership qualities necessary to defeat an insurgency and thus was able to shift the balance of power in favor of the british during the malaya emergency. Sir gerald templer also launched psychological warfare upon the communist. Psychological warfare was first published in 1948, and it became the authoritative text on the subject for decades. Thirdly, and considered to be one of the most important would be sir gerald templer, who became the commander of the british forces in 1952. The special operations volunteer force was a special program developed by the british and malayan authorities during the malayan emergency. Templers efforts in malaya developed and expanded the british principles of. The prevailing orthodoxy holds that templer laid the foundations for eventual victory by injecting new life into a moribund colonial administration, introducing new methods of police training and new jungle tactics, revamping the intelligence system and intensifying the. On the right of this picture is wong fook seng, the commander of the unit.
Best practices in counterinsurgency by sepp, kalev i. The programs instituted by templer, of harsh security measures and effective political and psychological warfare, began to. The plan succeeded in eradicating communist violence use of military force sir gerald templer used army force to fight the communists he recruited 67,000 malay special soldiers and formed home guards systems with 210,000 strength he also sought assistance from the commonwealths military c 6 more aggressive attacks were launched against the. Thus, the information services department and the psychological warfare department kept the civilian population informed of government policies, communist atrocities and disruption activities. But for 31yearold chin peng, believed hiding in the pahang jungles, templer offered the highest reward.
A modest proposal to adjust the principles of war by ltc gian gentile at swj blog. Sir gerald templer was appointed high commissioner and director of operations in january 1952. Psychological operations black deceptive and white truthful. Special operations volunteer force military wiki fandom. Sir gerald templer also launched psychological warfare upon the communist terrorists by the campaign winning the hearts and minds of the people as he realized that the use of force and weapons alone will not be enough to. How should the armed forces organize to work with civil authorities in military operations other than war mootw. The unit existed from 1952 until the end of the emergency in 1960.
On 6 october 1951, the british high commissioner in malaya, sir henry gurney, was assassinated, and briggs left the following december. He expanded the information gathering and intelligence systems, as well as psychological operations and propaganda compelling guerillas to surrender. In fact, the british did not have to win many hearts and minds in malaya. It contends that the revisionists overlook the decisive psychological impact of templer s malayan sojourn. Gerald templer explained everything explained today. Templer was briefly head of the german directorate of special operations executive in wwii so he understood unconventional warfare. This approached was closely with the psychological warfare and psychological operation. British general sir gerald templer, would later call. Field marshal sir gerald walter robert templer kg, gcb, gcmg, kbe 11 september 189825 october 1979 was a british military commander. After the assassination of the high commissioner in 1952, lieutenant general sir gerald templer was sent out to head british operations in malaya. It contends that the revisionists overlook the decisive psychological impact of templers malayan sojourn. Too with being the mastermind behind the british psychological operations that destroyed the communist insurgent movement. It contends that the revisionists overlook the decisive psychological impact of.
Gerald templer academic dictionaries and encyclopedias. As the british tried to repair the malayan economy, the malayan communist party, or. He later advised the british government on the response to the suez crisis. He is widely credited with turning the situation in favour of. Counterinsurgency lessons from malaya and vietnam by john a. Field marshal sir gerald walter robert templer kg, gcb, gcmg, kbe, dso 11 september 189825 october 1979 was a british military commander who fought in both world wars. Vice president nixon visits malaya october 1953 home. Winning hearts and minds, a concept popularly accredited to general sir gerald templer, has become one of several key principles in british counterinsurgency operational doctrine. Infobox military person name sir gerald walter robert templer lived11 september 1898 ndash.
The author points out that too was not recognized during the. Even today, it explains the basic principles of propaganda and psychological warfare both white and black, from organization and planning to analysis and response. The most significant aspect of templers handling of the emergency was his desire to win the hearts and minds of the people. Sir gerald templer, in malaya, developed the best theory in this period. Templer was considerably lucky during the war, having not been wounded, although. Lessons of malaya for counterinsurgents in the 21st century. Malayan emergency asian history dog runs insurgent guerrilla history books armed forces warfare geography. Guerrilla warfare is nearly as old as warfare itself, and the problems of asymmetric conflict have bedeviled armies and governments for millennia. Field marshal sir gerald walter robert templer, kg, gcb, gcmg, kbe, dso 11 september. Other contemporary scholars, such as kumar ramakrishna. This book covers some of the techniques of psyops by the practitioners of this dark art of warfare. The malayan emergency began during the aftermath of the second world war. The shift in emphasis put the mcp on the defensive for the first time.
Every book written on the malayan emergency credits c. Although the concept has been frequently mentioned, it has rarely been systematically examined. Field marshal sir gerald walter robert templer, 11 september 1898 25 october 1979 was a senior british army officer who fought in both the world wars. The tide began to turn after sir gerald templer arrived in 1952 to replace the assassinated high commissioner, sir gerald gurney. Nori katagiri air war college, maxwell air force base, montgomery. Sir gerald templer and his assistant, major lord wynford extreme left are seen with members of kinta valley home guard. The jungle has been neutralised, he declared in a time magazine cover article in 1952. Probably the best biography of too is the story of a psywarrior, lim cheng leng, malaysia, 2000. Sir gerald templer, foreword to the conduct of antiterrorist operations in malaya, 1958 edition.
Were getting the malaysia counterinsurgency all wrong. The life of field marshal sir gerald templer, london. The use of psychological warfare and direct propaganda at the. Last week 1st week of may 1952 britains dynamic general sir gerald templer, new high commissioner for malaya, upped the price on the heads of 26 of malayas communist guerrilla leaders. The third phase began in february 1952 with the appointment of sir gerald templer as high commissioner. The men who stare at goats by jon ronson, midnight hunter by brianna hale, gone girl by gillian flynn, antidote b. He is best known for his defeat of the guerrilla rebels in malaya between 1952 and 1954. The high commissioner in malaya congratulates another home guard unit in malaya. As chief of the imperial general staff, the professional head of the british army, from 195558, he was prime minister. Friedman 2006,and anything alluding to field marshal sir gerald templer, kg, gcb, gcmg, kbe. Definition of psywar or psyops and, hearts and minds. The phase winning heart and minds introduce by sir gerald templer, the british high commissioner in malaya on 1954. This book was written on the eve of the arab revolt in britishruled palestine, and helped shape british counterinsurgency strategy during the malayan campaign against procommunist insurgents in the early 1950s. Churchills conservative party then regained power in whitehall.
More recently, richard stubbs has reiterated this argument in his 1989 book on the emergency, focussing on the impact of hearts and minds, while lambasting the british effort up until 1951 1989. The phrase comes from a speech given by general sir gerard templer. The various techniques are used, by any set of groups, and aimed to. British tactics gradually shifted from search and destroy to a new counterinsurgency, winning hearts and minds approach. In january 1952, general gerald templer was appointed as british high commissioner.
He is widely credited with turning the situation in the malayan emergency in favour of the british forces. Malayan emergency psychological warfare thing 1 first world problems pre and post insurgent health and safety military history armed forces. The japanese had practical war tactics, such as using the bicycle even in the. Hearts and minds distinguishes asymmetric warfare, where control and support of the population is vital, from conventional warfare. Sir gerald templer and his assistant, major lord wynford extreme left are seen with. Lawrences aphorism that making war upon insurgents is messy and slow, like eating soup with a knife is difficult to fully appreciate until you have done it. Known for his fiery personality, templer built upon the strategic successes gained under briggs. As part of his new program, an emphasis was placed on intelligence and psychological warfare operations. Britain and irregular warfare in the past, present, and future. Templers tactics against the communists were held up as a model for counterinsurgency operations. Field marshal sir gerald templer counterinsurgency is the use of all elements of a nations powerincluding not only combinedarms operations but also psychological, political, economic, intelligence, and diplomatic operationsto defeat an insurgency. The secret war against the american people gonzalez, servando on.
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