[RS] Permanent Enemies
#RSInsurgence 4The back door of Malaya was open. Japan wanted to extend the rays of its rising sun in the east. They promised the Malays a great deal of things and their "Asia for Asians" propaganda won the hearts of the locals. But it wasn't long before Malaya saw the promises broken. An eruption of unimaginable cruelty occurred, especially among the Chinese as Japan was at war with China at the time.
The Japanese were undoubtedly intelligent. They knew the ways of the jungle, riding bicycles where tanks could not reach, while the British weren't used to jungle warfare. To combat this, and to alleviate the grave worry about the invasion, they created a Special Operations Executive.
It wasn't enough. They needed more. Hence, an unlikely alliance with the Communist Party of Malaya (CPM) was made. Founded on the common antagonism both had for the Japanese, they brushed aside their differences.
The Communists were used to secret societies and invisible wars, and that was their advantage. They had their military wing, the Malayan People's Anti-Japanese Army (MPAJA), also known as Bintang Tiga, as their logo were of three red stars, which symbolised the three main races dominant in Malaya. Given the dire situation, the British agreed to provide training and weapons, whereas the Communists would provide recruitment.
"The Chinese are disciplined. They're easier to train", was one of the remarks a British officer made from observation when they had gathered the army for training.
It was true. The MPAJA were talented. However, talent still required sharpening. With only less than 3 months of training, the recruits had to be deployed for combat. Far too many perished, but this didn't deter the few who survived.
It was a valiant battle which ended with the defeat of the Japanese and the MPAJA as the heroes. They marched proudly in town after the fight had been won, and a few were even awarded the OBE award by the British in a special ceremony. One of them being the famed guerilla fighter and leader of CPM, Chin Peng.
Despite the pleasantries, an exchange with smiles hid an ominous motive for both sides.
"You should know that our aims are ultimately very different", Chin Peng foreshadowed.
As soon as victory was Malaya’s, the British had outlawed the CPM and Chin Peng had been declared Public Enemy No.1.Jul 12, 2022
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