Books from Singapore Publishers

As World War II came to an end, a period of distrust settled over the world. Southeast Asia was no different. The spectre of Communism stalked the stage. The threat of a global nuclear war hung thick in the air. The struggle for domination between the Americans and the Russians came up against the burgeoning nationalism of the liberated states. In this highly combustible climate, what was to emerge This book reveals in fascinating detail, country by country, how the Cold War shaped the destiny of Southeast Asia. The competition among the world powers the USA, USSR, Britain, China led to dramatically differing fates for the region. Vietnam was to be the worst affected, effectively destroyed in the clash between superpowers, at tremendous cost to all sides. In Malaya and Singapore, the British fought a long-drawn-out Communist insurgency that broke out in 1948 an insurgency they saw as part of a consolidated Cold War movement inspired by Moscow or Beijing. But was it As this volume shows, the states of Southeast Asia were never mere pawns in an international war of ideology. Many local players in fact strategically manipulated Cold War doctrines to their own political advantage chief among them Indonesia s Suharto, who played the anti-Communist card with aplomb. Till now, no book has examined this watershed era across the entire region. Cold War Southeast Asia in doing so not only offers a panoramic account of a turning point in SEA history, but also illuminates the global ramifications of the Cold War, and the makings of the world order as we know it today.

Originally a backwater swamp housing the Ying Fo Lut and Boh Beh Kang kampongs, Queenstown became Singapore’s first satellite town. It was named in commemoration of Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation in 1953. As this grand old dame of an estate celebrates her 60th anniversary in 2013, the artists from Urban Sketchers Singapore capture the enduring landmarks and scenes of everyday life in the neighbourhood.Take a trip down memory lane and imagine the late Queenstown cinema and bowling alley in its heyday. Visit Stirling Road to view Singapore’s first HDB blocks and enjoy the unique personality of each HDB terrace house. Admire the religious harmony and architectural diversity of Queenstown’s churches, temples and mosques. To escape the heat, slip into the cool oasis of Queenstown Community Library, which remains in the middle of winding Margaret Drive.