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## Surviving as an Independent Nation State (1965-Late 1970s) ### Pull-Out: Lee to Meet Wilson * However, by the 1960s, the British had a different view of their military involvement in Asia. * Although Britain saw the importance of maintaining its military presence in the region, it could no lon...

## Surviving as an Independent Nation State (1965-Late 1970s) ### Pull-Out: Lee to Meet Wilson * However, by the 1960s, the British had a different view of their military involvement in Asia. * Although Britain saw the importance of maintaining its military presence in the region, it could no longer afford the large amount of money needed to focus on rebuilding its economy at home. * Thus, the British government announced in 1967 that it would withdraw its defence forces from Singapore. * By 1971, the majority of British forces had left, and the withdrawal was completed in 1976. ### The Announcement of the Withdrawal The announcement of the withdrawal added to the defence challenges facing a newly independent Singapore. It would be left practically undefended. In addition, the British bases generated employment for many locals who provided goods and services to the British military. You will learn more about how the withdrawal of British forces worsened unemployment in Singapore in Chapter 10. ### Singapore at the Point of Independence At the point of independence, Singapore had only two battalions of *regular* infantry, with 50 officers and about 1,000 men each. This was hardly enough to defend Singapore against external threats. The British had failed to defend against the Japanese invasion in 1942 with approximately 90,000 men. About 50,000 British servicemen had been stationed in the region to defend against the threat from Indonesia during Konfrontasi. How could Singapore hope to cope with only 2,000 men? ### How Did Singapore Ensure its Security? Singapore approaches security through deterrence, meaning any potential enemy would be met with swift and decisive action if war broke out. The second was through strong relationships with other countries around the world. In this way, advanced militaries would ensure that others would not destabilize the region. ### Be a Young Citizen In Chapter 7, you will learn about the significance of Singapore's security and the historic developments that led to the idea of national service. One of the topics we discuss will be the importance of National Service in Singapore and the contributions of those who live abroad to Singapore's history * **A regular, or professional, soldier is one who joins the military as a career. In contrast, conscripts are required by law to serve full-time for a specified period. Volunteers serve on a part-time basis.** * Deterrence refers to a policy to deter another country or group not to launch an attack by showing willingness and capability * Diplomacy is the art of managing international relations through negotiations, dialogue, and agreements * Embassies are diplomatic missions in foreign countries to represent a nation's interests and promote its policies