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The open united front: The communist struggle in Singapore, 1954-1966
This book provides an account of the struggle of the Malayan Communist Party in Singapore in the years 1954 to 1966. This is an essential reference for anyone interested in the history and significance of communism in Singapore.
Paperback
Published January 1, 2006
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September 3, 2020
A formidably researched book, written crisply - though the sheer volume of evidence makes it hard to follow the trail of the story at many points.
There is a lot of content to parse here.
I just wished the author wouldn't make such meandering (though substantive) asides that run for so many pages, which then in turn ties back to some obscure point 2 or 3 sections ago... A clearer signposting of this byzantinely intertwined narrative would have helped.
It's also instructive to note that in comparison to later "revisionist" historians, Lee writes very matter-of-factly and unproblematically about the CPM linkages between the BSS and Lim Chin Siong. Such claims are stated without any hedging building on Special Branch reports. It makes me wonder at the alleged ambiguity raised about Lim and his compatriots later. The (by-now-stale) was-he-Communist-or-was-he-not refrain is not present yet in this work.
There is a lot of content to parse here.
I just wished the author wouldn't make such meandering (though substantive) asides that run for so many pages, which then in turn ties back to some obscure point 2 or 3 sections ago... A clearer signposting of this byzantinely intertwined narrative would have helped.
It's also instructive to note that in comparison to later "revisionist" historians, Lee writes very matter-of-factly and unproblematically about the CPM linkages between the BSS and Lim Chin Siong. Such claims are stated without any hedging building on Special Branch reports. It makes me wonder at the alleged ambiguity raised about Lim and his compatriots later. The (by-now-stale) was-he-Communist-or-was-he-not refrain is not present yet in this work.
Displaying 1 of 1 review