Rise of Asian Empires

Chapter 6:Invasions

As the Royal Navy and Royal Australian Navy withdrew from the waters of Malaysia,the Armed Forces of the Philippines took the oppurtunity and quickly landed 15,000 Filipino marines in the shore of Sabah.Filipino-Muslims in Sabah disguised as civillians took arms and ambushed supply convoys.The Philippine Marines had cleared the beachheads and the Philippine Army landed 80,000 soldiers and another 310,000 soldiers in the following weeks.

The Americans still confused where to side decided to temporarily stay neutral.Britain is America's major and oldest ally while the Philippines serves as the staging base of the US in the Vietnam War.Debates were hot in the US Congress whether to support the British or not.

Many European countries cut diplomatic relations and some applied embargo and sanctions to the Philippines and Indonesia.

Communist insurgency in the Malay peninsula became alive again this time without any Filipino and Indonesian support.British abandonment of Malaysia made the morale of the Malaysian people to go down.Thousands of people fled south to Kuala Lumpur to avoid the communist in the North.The British forces in Malay peninsula now mainly on civil services as they were forbidden to engage in the north.

Another major decision that made the tide of the war turn in favor of Marcos and Suharto is the refusal of the British parliament to let the warships in Australia engage the two dictator's navies.The parliament believes that the two navies is still formidable and remains a great threat,when infact not as the Royal Navy in Australia outnumber and outpower the two.The parliament ordered them to wait until the reinforcements will come.Britsh and Australian troops in Sarawak and Sabah continues to resist the Filipinos and Indonesians but they were already outflanked and sorrounded.Supplies are scarce and the tropical climate made the Commonwealth soldiers exhausted.

March 1975.The British high command ordered the troops in Borneo to resist until the counterattacks reached their lines.But the general in command of the Commenwealth forces in Borneo knew that his men has experienced enough sufferings his men are exhausted.So he decided to raise the white flag and surrendered to the Filipinos and Indonesians.

Ferdinand Marcos' and Suharto's forces were on high morale they finally conquered Borneo and captured the British and Australins.

While the fight was ongoing in South East Asia,Manila called Washington and threatened to remove all the American bases in the Philippines if the US will provide any support on the British fighting force in Borneo.Manila also threatened to switch sides and let the Soviets in the Philippines.The Americans cannot afford to lose the military bases in the Philippines as it will affect their movement of supplies and operations in the Vietnam War.They were also afraid to lose the Philippines as it's the only country in the region that gives the US alot of favors including sending troops and being a counterweight to the Red China's and Soviet power.If the US lose grip on the Philippines they also lose their influence in South East Asia.So US accepted Pres. Marcos' demands to stay neutral and don't give any support to the British.

Meanwhile the United Nations chooses neither sides.And instead ask for ceasefire and peacetalks.