Reply to thread

End result would have been the same. Britain is too broke to afford protecting Malaya with very little in return. Perhaps some token force would remain (the RN retains a refuelling detachment in Singapore to this day), couple of frigates perhaps. No need for much else, the Confrontation is acclaimed as the war won without a single shot fired. That alone would probably put off Healy sending another big force down there. Of course leaving the flank of the US forces in Vietnam open and forcing the US to get involved with support etc. would probably push the Johnson-Wilson relationship beyond the brink. Might hamper Polaris build-up etc. I just can't see any threat in the region being big enough to deter the Labour Government from cutting the ties that should have been cut ten years earlier (if you look at it in pure fiscal terms).