Konfrontasi turns hot

WI UK/Commonwealth forces stationed in Malaysia clashed with the Indonesians? Presumably the US would back the Tunku, since he's pro-Western and Sukarno is a Chinese client. How would the US respond? Would we see another war in SE Asia. All the Asians fighting in Vietnam (ROK, Philippines, ANZAC) would support the Malaysians.
 
There were numerous clashes during the Konfrontasi, often quite savage raids across borders. But it stopped short of much higher than that, I don't think any of opportunities were taken on either side to shoot down planes or attack ships with serious firepower. Policitally the Phillipines broke of diplomatic relations with Mayala because the Federation included Sabah etc which had in the past been united with Mindinao and Palawan.
 
Actually, the official end of the Konfrontasi came a few months after Suharto gained power (which was US backed). If the war escalates after this, the US may not side with Malaysia and not enter the war at all.

Indonesia would definitely get a beating, being pressed possibly on all sides by Malaysia, Britain, Australia, and New Zealand. Having recently breaking relations with the PRC, they'd have no one to turn to and would surrender quickly.
 
The SAS was going across the border up to 10,000m in Kalimantan in 1966. It's this sort of deep pursuit after 4 years of Konfrontasi that ended the saga.
 
WI UK/Commonwealth forces stationed in Malaysia clashed with the Indonesians? Presumably the US would back the Tunku, since he's pro-Western and Sukarno is a Chinese client. How would the US respond? Would we see another war in SE Asia. All the Asians fighting in Vietnam (ROK, Philippines, ANZAC) would support the Malaysians.

Sukarno wasn't at most, if any, a Chinese client, though yeah it did seem appear that his sort-of adoring attitude towards Mao's China gave the Chinese quite a hope for it. Basically Sukarno was persuasively pulled from all side by US, Soviet and China to join their side and apparently China managed to appear as most appealing for him. Yeah though, if the Chinese would play it well until beyond 1966(which that would mean Suharto won't arise), Sukarno would may have ended up a willing sidekick of theirs.

You want to make Konfrontasi got hotter, then the answer is quite simple : Suharto doesn't achieve power, or at least delayed of it. I wonder though how much for potential alternate successors for Sukarno, such as Nasution or Yani(both also anti-communist generals) for continuing it. Nasution was indeed against Malaysia though, so if it's him, there'll may be some potentials, but I don't think it's likely. But Yani was just loyal to Sukarno, or at least that's what it seems to me. But once he rises to power himself, he will have to decide something about it eventually....
 
I think the Konfrontasi was about as hot as Indo could handle. If it started to become a matter of aircraft and ships Indo would be in big trouble because the Commonwealth could field far more powerful navies and airforces.
 
I seem to recall a vague scenario where Indonesian AF Badgers :rolleyes: (ASB)sunk the Dutch CVL Karel Doorman among other things. Though this was over East Timor.
 
Top