Fourteen Days' War
| Part of the aftermath of World War II | |
| Date | August 1945 |
|---|---|
| Location | Peninsular Malaysia |
| Type | Civil unrest, ethnic conlict |
| Participants | MPAJA, Malay self-defense group and vigilante |
| Deaths | c. Unknown |
The Fourteen Days' War (Malay: Perang 14 Hari), also known as the War of the Long Machete (Malay: Perang Parang Panjang, referring to long machetes mostly used by Malay self defense militia during the conflict), refers to the post-war anarchy and civil unrest prior to the arrival of British Military Administration[1] characterized by ethnic tension between Malay and Chinese as a result of reprisals by the Chinese-dominated Malayan Peoples' Anti-Japanese Army (MPAJA) against perceived Malays and Indians collaborators of the Japanese occupation of Malaya[1] and in some instances Chinese supporters of the Kuomintang in August 1945.[2] The violence lasted up to 14 days in such places like Batu Pahat, Kuala Kangsar, Teluk Intan and others.[3][unreliable source?]
In his 1982 book 25 Years of Independence, Abdul Samad Idris attributes the events of the Fourteen Days' War to the MPAJA's distrust of the Malay population, which was deliberately inflated by the communists.[4]
Events
[edit]With the Japanese surrender on 15 August 1945, an "interregnum" followed which marked a period of lawlessness and unrest before the delayed arrival of the British forces. During this time, the MPAJA focused its efforts on seizing control of territory across Malaya and punishing "collaborators" of the Japanese occupation regime.[5] Although the MCP and MPAJA consistently espoused non-racial policies, the fact that their members came predominantly from the Chinese community caused their reprisals against Malays who had collaborated to be a source of racial tension. Chinese members of the MPAJA soon began to enact violent reprisals against alleged collaborators consisted of mostly ethnic Malay, as well as Indians and Chinese across Malaya whom the MPAJA perceived to have worked for the Japanese secret police.[1][6][7] As a result, interracial clashes involving the Chinese-dominated MPAJA and Malay population were frequent. Malayans who had collaborated with Imperial Japan set up self-defense group to protect themselves from revenge attacks,[8][9] as well as tit-for-tat reprisals against ethnic Chinese civilians falsely accused of being communist due to the MPAJA being dominated by ethnic Chinese. In one incident, the Malays in Sungai Manik in Perak, fought the MPAJA and Chinese squatters displaced from wartime atrocities and occupation after the MPAJA attempted to take over Sungai Manik and other neighbouring towns.[1]
“They took revenge without being humane even though the Malays who were killed were their neighbors. Among these incidents, MPAJA fighters tortured Malays because their dogs were killed.”[4]
In another incident around the Perak River basin, the MPAJA attacked the members of the local Kuomintang branch instead, a minor spillover of the Chinese Civil War, whilst assuring the local Malay villagers that they would be unharmed.[2]
After the 14 days, the British reasserted control over Malaya and ordered the MPAJA insurgents to hand in their weapons to the British Military Administration.[5]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c d "Red Star Over Malaya: Resistance and Social Conflict During and After the Japanese Occupation of Malaya, 1941-46".
- ^ a b "Tenggelamnya tongkang di Sungai Manik". Retrieved 16 March 2025.
- ^ Adhar, Zaid (2021-02-26). "Sejarah hitam negara". Harakahdaily. Retrieved 2024-08-09.
- ^ a b Idris, Abdul Samad (1982). "25 tahun merdeka: Kenangan abadi kepada bangsa, agama dan tanahair".
- ^ a b "The Malayan Emergency in Retrospect: Organization of a Successful Counterinsurgency Effort" (PDF).
- ^ Komunis, Perang Melawan. "Tuan Guru Hj Bakri pemimpin Tentera Sabil menentang kekejaman Komunis".
- ^ Aslie, Mohd Reduan Hj (November 5, 1993). Pemberontakan bersenjata komunis di Malaysia. Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, Kementerian Pendidikan, Malaysia. ISBN 978-983-62-3892-4 – via Google Books.
- ^ Omar (Syed), Othman Syed (November 5, 2007). Pemburu bintang tiga. PTS Pop. ISBN 978-983-192-128-9 – via Google Books.
- ^ Komunis, Perang Melawan. "Perang 14 Hari: Kisah amukan berdarah orang Melayu menentang Komunis". X-PLORASI (in Malay). Retrieved 2024-08-09.
