The collection of "Foreign Office Files for South East Asia" follows the establishment of an independent Malaysia in 1963, following the release of the Cobbold Commission Report. Under President Sukarno, Indonesia strongly opposed this decision and hostilities between the two countries escalated. Alongside tensions with Malaysia, Indonesia would experience growing civil unrest in this period, with anti-Communist sentiments on the rise. Documents featured in this collection cover these fundamental events alongside a number of key themes, including trade, economic development and authoritarian rule in this period.
Consisting of correspondence, maps, government dispatches and press releases from the FO 371, DO 169, DO 187, FCO 15 and FCO 24 series, this resource offers insights into the political and economic challenges faced during this period as the region moved towards industrialisation and establishing the foundations for economic growth.
This collection is available on the platform Archives Direct which features content from Sources from The National Archives, UK