授業関係のお知らせ

This week, we discuss the interwar period (between the World War I and II) of Southeast Asia, based on Chapter 8 "The Years of Illusion" of Osborne's Southeast Asia: An Introductory History.

The interwar period is named "the years of illusion" because of the European complacency about the colonial rule despite the growing nationalistic sentiment among the local population.

The illusion of complacency can be clearly seen in a 1938 film footage showcasing the British prosperity in Singapore (YouTube: Singapore - Crossroads of the East 1938).

The difference between earlier "traditional" anti-colonial rebellions and "modern" anti-colonial movements in the 1920s and 1930s lies in the fact the latter was accompanied by an increasingly strong sense of "nation" among the local population. Rebels in the earlier times might fight for their king, but modern counterparts fought for their people or nation.

This awareness of nationhood could be manifested in different ways, as we can see in the rise of the Communist Party in Vietnam and that of the National Party in Indonesia.

In the following weeks, we will move on to Chapter 9 (The Second World War in Southeast Asia), after further discussing the emergence of nationalism in Southeast Asia.