Alms for Oblivion

Peter Kemp War Trilogy #3

by Peter Kemp

Asia, 1945. The War in Europe is over. Undeterred, the Japanese Empire fights on. With millions of loyal troops at its disposal and holdings that extend over thousands of miles, the Allies still have much intense fighting ahead.Freed from a Soviet dungeon by diplomatic happenstance as the European theatre closes is Peter Kemp. Kemp was a young law student who volunteered to fight for the Nationalists against the Republicans in the Spanish Civil War. Recruited by the elite British Special Operations Executive for his extensive irregular warfare experience and enormous bravery, Kemp was a commando raider then spy in the Balkans and Poland before being betrayed, along with his comrades, by the advancing Red Army. Recognizing him as one of their best operatives, the British redeploy Kemp to the South Pacific. Although initially tasked with mopping up the Japanese remnants, after the surrender Kemp finds himself struggling to bring order to the chaos as anti-colonial sentiment surges, first in French Indochina and then the Dutch East Indies. With the United States indifferent or hostile to its allies' extended empires, Kemp is forced to lead Japanese troops and a smattering of European holdouts against a phantom army of guerrillas.Kemp published his story in 1961, one of only a few to offer a first-hand look at the little-explored aftermath of World War Two in the Pacific. The book has been out-of-print for decades, but joins Kemp's first two books, Mine Were of Trouble (recounting his Spanish Civil War experiences) and No Colours or Crest (following him through Europe in WW2) back in wide release again.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, World War II, War, Military History, Politics, Military Fiction

189 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1961

Reviews

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Peter Kemp's trilogy of wartime memoirs (Mine Were of Trouble and No Colours or Crest cover Kemp's service in the Spanish Civil War and WWII in Europe) concludes with Alms For Oblivion. The book details Kemp's post-war service in SE Asia as a British military officer carrying out sensitive, and at times clandestine, political duties.

After being released from a Soviet jail (despite being an ally of Britain, the USSR acted pretty much as an opponent when possible), Kemp asked to be transferred to the Far East where the war against Japan was still raging. He was sent to Siam (Thailand) to aid and equip Thai insurgents against the Japanese occupation forces. As it happened Japan surrendered before Kemp arrived. Instead of fighting the Japanese, he found himself being drawn into the growing conflict between France and the Communist Viet Minh. Kemp once again got ample confirmation of Communist duplicity and implacable hostility against the West. Ironically, an American OSS mission, commanded by a Franco-phobe, was strongly aiding the Viet Minh.

When French troops finally arrived in sufficient numbers to stabilize the situation, Kemp transferred to the Dutch East Indies, specifically Bali, where another insurgent movement was under way. Another irony, Kemp's best allies in keeping the peace were the defeated Japanese troops!

Alms for Oblivion gives a remarkable, if not unique, view of the front-line British political officer in the confusing and chaotic aftermath of WWII in Southeast Asia. Kemp does not neglect to describe the Balinese way of life, as he saw it (much as he did for Albania in No Colours or Crest). This book is highly recommended for anyone interested in military and political history.

[P · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kemp is from the era when strong men were creating good times. Nowadays good times create weak men.

[Pete · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alms for Oblivion (1961) by Peter Kemp is the final part of Kemp’s war trilogy. Kemp fought in the Spanish Civil War, World War 2 and slightly beyond. The book is about Kemp’s time in Asia where he was stationed in Thailand and Cambodia and later in Bali.

The first part of the book in Cambodia and Thailand focuses on Kemp’s experiences. Kemp has to confront independence sentiment and Communist forces. He also confronts the return of the French to the area. In light of future events you can see the tensions forming. There is also a haphazard American mission.

Later on Kemp moves to Bali which he is clearly entranced by. He writes about the history of Bali and the political setup there. He also describes the various political factions he encounters. Kemp manages his mission well and the handover to the Dutch is completed. Again the movement toward independence is starting.

Alms for Oblivion is a worthy end to Kemp’s trilogy. He had a remarkable decade from the Spanish Civil War until beyond the end of World War Two.

[Jeffrey Chen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Peter Kemp ends his trilogy, and his final year at war, in Vietnam and Indonesia, dealing with the various intricacies of the Japanese, colonial powers, Americans, and the local populace.

Again, Kemp is a defender of the Empire from the destabilizing forces of communism. And again, he doesn't win total victory, but has at least bought enough time for others to take over. First transported to Siam, Kemp struggled to save French interests against a growing Viet Minh. The loyalties and alliances were chaotic - the Siamese seesaw between the French and themselves, the British just trying to maintain the peace, and the Americans (from Kemp's perspective) generally screwing with the colonial powers. Perhaps the most tragic point in this book is the murder of Lieutenant Klotz. Three soldiers: Kemp, Klotz (Frenchman), and Reese (American) looked to scout Annamese territory, and were caught by a Viet Minh patrol. The soldier asked for their nationalities, and then tried to arrest Klotz. Kemp defended his friends, saying that they were all allies, but Reese did not reciprocate. They tried walking back to Siamese territory, with Kemp protecting Klotz, until an Annamese soldier snuck up behind Klotz and shot him dead.

Kemp is next sent to Indonesia, where the Japanese forces are much more cooperating, and the locals less political. In both Bali and Lombok Kemp succeeds with his mission: to accept Japanese surrenders, and prepare the islands for Dutch landing forces. Most of the terrorists (who are Javanese) do not stir up too much trouble. And after 10 years fighting across the world, Kemp finally returns home.

[Christopher Winter · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the last of the Peter Kempt trilogy, which has now been sat so long on my shelf that it had began to gather dust. Knowing that the theme of this book was based around the Orient and that I would soon be visiting that area for work, I decided that now was finally the right time to get through it and complete the series.

The book follows the real life exploits of Colonel Peter Kemp during his time in South East Asia, mainly Indochina and Indonesia. Kemp details his experiences and exploits as he is sent to assist in stabilising the region just after the surrender of the Japanese at the end of the Second World War. He was part of the initial allied attempt to reassert European ownership of their colonies which had succumb to Japanese occupation during the war.

Much like in the first book of the Kemp trilogy ‘Mine Were of Trouble’, Kemp’s main adversary is once again the communists. However, much like his second book ‘No Colours of Crest’, these are guerillas, not an organised army. I thought this was an interesting comparison between the three novels. It appears as though Kemp had to use the skills he gained during his first two adventures to deal with a foe who appeared to be a combination of both.

Due to the nature of the region he was assisting in governing, Kemp has to maintain a precarious set of allies who are not always willing to cooperate with one another. Reading about how he did this (not always successfully I might add) really helped in understanding the difficulty of the situation he was placed in, and his feigning attentiveness to a set of goals he seemed more and more dissatisfied with.

I found Kemp’s accounts of Cambodia, Vietnam, and Bali to be extremely interesting. His discussions on the fragile politics of these different regions and his relationship with the various leaders of these places was deeply enlightening. On a personal note however, I found Kemp’s recollection of the friend’s he had made and lost to be the most impactful on me. By the time I had reached this point of the book, I had just waved goodbye to the majority of my Oriental colleagues who I had been working with for the past few months. I felt a great amount of empathy for Kemp, who was abruptly made to do the same when he was demobilised and returned home when the job was done.

A good read which I definitely enjoyed. As I have already expressed before in my previous reviews, the Kemp trilogy is a very interesting and exciting series of books which I would thoroughly recommend to anyone curious about gaining some additional insight into lesser talked about aspects of the Second World War.

[Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Peter Kemp is a superhero who actually lived. From his experience in the Spanish Civil War, to SOE in Europe during WW2, to occupation and handover duties in Asia at the end of WW2, he was in the most interesting places, learning as he went, and being a superhuman example of the best the British ever were. His first book (Mine Were of Trouble) was probably the best, but Alms for Oblivion covered even less well known events in Southeast Asia (Indonesia, etc.) at the end of the WW2, and all 3 are excellent.

[Gunner Garner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredibly interesting, perhaps the most riveting of the trilogy despite being the shortest! Covering some little-known and little covered parts of the aftermath of World War 2 from an archetypical British Colonial Officer.

[MR RH LEONARD · Rating 5 out of 5]

A final word from a war hero.

Peter Kemp's story of his post world war, war experiences have cast a light on the very interesting aspects of world politics in obscure parts of the East.

[Al Berry · Rating 4 out of 5]

The final book of the Peter Kemp Trilogy, this time after the end of world war, Kemp deals with communists and provocateurs first in French Indochina and then in Bali and Lombok, a short book but still an interesting end to the tale of a man at war for nearly 10 years straight.

[Samuel Massey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tens years of war, recounted to its end here in the final part of Kemp's triology, and here, thanks to our author's sophisticated & charming writing, you'd almost wish he went through 10 more...

[Kai · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good ol British post war romp through South East Asia.