History of Southeast Asia

Today we will wrap up the First Indochina War by covering the showdown which proved to the French that they couldn't stay in Vietnam anymore -- the battle of Dien Bien Phu! Over the course of the war, the French had seven generals commanding their forces. The last of those generals was Henri Navarre, who led from May 1953 to the end of the war in mid-1954. Here he is, from a Time Magazine cover da...

For Part 4 in our series on the First Indochina War, this episode covers the events of 1952 and most of 1953. We will look at the battles in northwest Vietnam, as the Viet Minh invade this area. Then we will see the opening of a second front in Laos, which will start an on-and-off civil war that will last for the next 22 years. Finally, we will learn how Laos and Cambodia achieved full independenc...

Today's episode is the third in our series about the Indochina Wars. Here we will look at the campaigns of 1951. In response to the successful Viet Minh (Vietnamese Communist) offensive of 1950, the French send in their best general, Jean de Lattre de Tassigny. It was only during the eleven months when de Lattre was in command (December 1950 - November 1951) that the French felt they had a good ch...

In this episode we begin covering the events of the First Indochina War, waged between the French and the Vietnamese communists, then called the Viet Minh. Here we go from 1946 to 1950. For most of this time the struggle was a stalemate, with the French controlling all cities in Vietnam, while the Viet Minh roamed the countryside. Then in 1950 the Viet Minh won a key battle in the area northeast o...

This is the first in what will be a series of episodes about the Indochina Wars, which afflicted Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos for more than forty years (1945-1989). Today we introduce the scene and the characters in 1945-46, between the end of World War II and the beginning of what is officially called the First Indochina War. During World War II, The United States gave aid to anyone fighting the Ax...

Now for this episode, we will learn about how modern Burma (Myanmar since 1989) became independent. Although the Burmese do not have to fight the British anymore, their troubles will come in bunches. Back with Episode 32, I posted a picture of a Burmese 90 kyat note, featuring a picture of the nationalist Saya San. Now here is a 15 kyat note (1986 edition), showing Aung San. Because Aung San is co...

For the next part of our narrative on Southeast Asia in the postwar/Cold War era, we will look at the Philippines, from 1945 to 1957. Here independence comes to the islands on July 4, 1946. Then a communist guerrilla movement, one that fought the Japanese during World War II, turns against both the government and the Americans. Listen in to find out how a remarkable Filipino beat this challenge. D...

I hope you had a good time with the special person in your life on Valentines Day -- because that was yesterday. Now it is time to listen to the latest episode of the podcast! Today we look at Thailand between 1945 and 1957, as the Unconquered Kingdom seeks its place in the postwar, post-colonial world. Also, we learn of the unsolved mystery around the assassination of King Rama VIII. Do you think...

This episode begins our look at the conflicts during the Cold War era, by covering Indonesia's struggle for independence, from 1945 to 1949. Here is a map of the situation in the Dutch East Indies, between the Renville Agreement and Operation Crow. Source: Gimonca.com. Do you think you would like to become a podcaster on Blubrry? Click here for the details on joining. Enter my promo code, HSEASIA,...

Here is the first episode for 2019. New years mean new beginnings, and because the previous episode finished what this podcast had to say about World War II, we will be making a new beginning here. This episode is an introduction to the events that happened between 1945 and 1990, a time called both the Cold War era and the Age of Nationalism. Do you think you would like to become a podcaster on Bl...

We made it! This is the last World War II episode in this podcast series, and the last episode scheduled for 2018. To all of you in advance, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Do you think you would like to become a podcaster on Blubrry? Click here for the details on joining. Enter my promo code, HSEASIA, to let them know I sent you, and you will get the first month's hosting for free! Support th...

Today we take a break from the narrative, because I have been interviewed again. This time it was done by the two hosts of a new Singapore-based podcast, called "We Don't Mean to Dwell, But . . ." Check it out, and if you would like to listen to more episodes from this podcast, click on the link below: http://www.dontmeantodwell.com Do you think you would like to become a podcaster on Blubrry? Cli...

With this episode we finish the podcast narrative about World War II in Burma, or as we now call it, Myanmar. Here the British and the Japanese fight for the city of Rangoon, modern day Yangon. In the middle of the battle the rainy season begins, which forces both sides to call a halt to most of the fighting. But in 1945, the war will end before the rainy season does. Do you think you would like t...

Today we return to Burma, now called Myanmar, to hear about the efforts of the Allies, especially the British, to take back this land during World War II. Also, the Ledo Road will be finished, and the Burma Road will be recovered. A map of the Far East during the war, showing the two roads mentioned above. A British soldier at Fort Dufferin, during the battle of Mandalay. This map shows where the...

With this episode, the podcast narrative about World War II in the Philippines is concluded. Here is the story of how the US 8th Army, with the help of Filipino guerrillas, took back the central and southern Philippines, also known as the Visayas and Mindanao, from the Japanese in 1945. This map shows the entire Philippine campaign. The red arrows show the movements of the US 6th Army, which we al...

The American campaign in the Philippines continues into 1945 with this episode. Now that the Japanese fleet has been mostly destroyed, and the Americans have taken back Manila, they and the Filipino guerrillas go on to free the rest of the main island, Luzon. Here is a map of Luzon, showing how Japanese forces were distributed across the island when the Americans arrived. Source: a Facebook page d...

This episode continues, but doesn't quite finish, what we started in Episode 50, the American campaign to liberate the Philippines. General Douglas MacArthur's troops take the central islands of Leyte and Mindoro, then land on the main island, Luzon. The campaign culminates with the terrible battle for Manila in February 1945. And I have reposted the map of the Philippines that was used with Episo...

Today we take a break from the usual routine, and you will hear me answer the questions which you the listeners sent in over the past month or two. Listen and enjoy! Do you think you would like to become a podcaster on Blubrry? Click here for the details on joining. Enter my promo code, HSEASIA, to let them know I sent you, and you will get the first month's hosting for free! Support this podcast!...

This episode begins a series on the battles fought in the Philippines during 1944 and 1945, pitting the Americans and Filipinos against the Japanese. Here we will see General Douglas MacArthur land the US 6th Army on the island of Leyte, thereby keeping the promise he made two years earlier. Then the entire Japanese Navy will gather in the waters around Leyte to stop the landing, resulting in the...

Today we look at the climax of World War II in the China-Burma-India theater. Here in 1944, Japan invaded India, and launched its last offensive in China, while the American general Joseph Stilwell led a campaign to take back northern Burma. Do you think you would like to become a podcaster on Blubrry? Click here for the details on joining. Enter my promo code, HSEASIA, to let them know I sent you...

With this episode the podcast returns to Southeast Asia during World War II. This time we look at what happened in Burma, modern-day Myanmar, from the middle of 1942 until early 1944. Orde Charles Wingate (1903-44) led British guerrilla units in Ethiopia and Burma during World War II. He is my favorite WW2 hero because he was a nonconformist who "thought outside the box" constantly. During the war...

With today's episode, the podcast finishes covering World War II in New Guinea. Although the war turned in the Allies' favor in 1942, the struggle here would go on until the war ended everywhere else. The Allies find out that in every territory occupied by Japan, it is at least twice as hard to drive the Japanese out, as it was for them to invade the territory in the first place. Also, today is th...

The podcast is back, after a month-long break! Here we continue the coverage we started in the previous episode, about World War II in New Guinea. This time we will see the crucial turning point in the conflict between the Japanese, Australians and Americans. This map of New Guinea gives you an overview of the island during World War II; most of the cities and towns I mention in Episodes 45 and 46...

The next episode is going to be late.  Originally I was planning to record and upload it by June 1, but now it looks like I will have to aim for a release date in the middle of June.  Listen in to find out more.

This is another episode that is not set in Southeast Asia, but next to it. Today we begin the long jungle war in New Guinea, as the Japanese stage their first invasions of the world's second largest island. Meanwhile to the southeast, in the Coral Sea, Japanese and American aircraft carriers meet. The result is a crucial battle, halting the Japanese advance toward Australia from the sea. Do you th...