Sec 2 Chapter 9 - Security Challenges and Solutions after Independence Flashcards
List the 4 security challenges that Singapore faced after independence?
Konfrontasi
Communist & international terrorism
Vietnam War
British withdrawal of military troops
Name one incident that was caused by the Konfrontasi in 1965?
Macdonald house bombing
Why was Konfrontasi a challenge to Singapore’s security?
Threatened the peace and internal security in Singapore
Who hijacked the ferry boat Laju and held the crew members hostage?
Foreign terrorists
Why was the Singapore government worried about the Vietnam War?
Feared that the war in Vietnam would spread to the rest of Southeast Asia and destablise Singapore
Which year did the British announce that it would withdraw its military forces from Singapore?
1967
Why was Singapore hardly able to defend itself?
It only had 2 battalions of regular infantry that consists of 50 officers and about 1000 men each
What were the two approaches that Singapore government used to tackle security challenges?
Deterrence and Diplomacy
What is the definition of Deterrence?
Build a credible defence force that would make any potential enemies think twice before attacking
What is the definition of Diplomacy?
Establish and develop strong relationships with governments and defence forces around the world
List 3 deterrence solutions that Singapore came up with.
- Introduction of National Service
- Establishing a home-grown defence industry
3.Strengthening military cooperation with other countries
What did Singapore do to solve the limited manpower after the British withdrew their forces?
Introduced National Service in 1967
Who was required to join National Service?
Singaporean Men above 18 years
How many years did men need to serve NS for?
2
How did National Service solve Singapore’s security challenges?
It solved the problem of limited manpower in the armed forces
What did Singapore need to do to be self-sustainable in terms of weapons?
Establish a home-grown defence industry
What is the name of the organization that was established to produce ammunition and weapons for the SAF?
Chartered Industries of Singapore (CIS)
Why was establishing a home-grown defence industry necessary for Singapore?
Allowed Singapore to be self-sufficient
Reduced its reliance on foreign countries for all its military weapons and equipment
What did Singapore do to strengthen its military cooperation with other countries?
Established the Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA)
List the 5 member countries that were part of Five Power Defence Arrangments (FPDA)
1.Singapore
2.Malayasia
3.Australia
4.Britain
5.New Zealand
Why was strengthening military cooperation with other countries important ?
Allowed Singapore to learn from other more experienced armed forces and seek help when necessary
List 2 diplomatic solutions that Singapore came up with.
- Developing diplomatic relations with other countries
- Joining international and regional organisations
Why was it important for other countries to recognize Singapore’s independence?
Hostile countries could claim that Singapore had no right to exist, and could threaten, coerce and even invade it
What is the definition of bilateral relations?
Relationship between two countries
Which 2 countries did Singapore establish bilateral relations with?
USA and China
List the 2 organizations that Singapore joined once it gained its independence?
- United Nations (UN)
- Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
