South-East Asia, c. 1844–1975: British Foreign Office Confidential Print Coming Soon Overview

The history of South-East Asia over the nineteenth and twentieth centuries is fascinating, complex, and deeply entwined with Britain’s own experiences in that period. According to the Foreign Office’s own interpretation, the region known as South-East Asia extended from the Indian subcontinent, through present-day Thailand and Vietnam, and out to the island groupings of modern Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines. 

The collection comprises approximately 44,000 images. These include diplomatic correspondence and reports. These offer unrivalled insights into the actions of vast colonial empires. Documentation relating to the British empire features most prominently, but the collection also supplies key information on the French, Dutch, and American empires. The collection likewise spotlights local actors, such as political leaders and regular citizens. Its coverage of the often violent process of decolonisation—including the partition of India, the Malayan Emergency, and the Vietnam wars—is particularly strong.

This collection will be of value to students, educators, and researchers interested in South-East Asia and the themes of empire, war, and diplomacy. It will also appeal to those situated within the fields of political science, economics, geography, and religious studies.