Eighty Years Ago This Week

  The British blundered ever deeper into the fight for Indonesian independence. In breach of a local agreement, leaflets were dropped on the city of Surabaya demanding that arms be surrendered. Surabya was a stronghold of anti-colonialism, partly inspired by the radio broadcasts of "Surabaya Sue," a Glasgow-born hotelier. The leaflets provoked violence against British troops in the city who were there to repatriate internees rather than to restore Dutch colonial rule. Brigadier Mallaby, their commander, made a fatal error by driving into the centre with no escort and almost unarmed. Outside a bank, where some of his troops were besieged, he was killed in confused circumstances. More in reprisal than anything else, the British unleashed a division strength attack on the Indonesian forces with air and tank support. The city was almost destroyed and 10,000 or more people were killed.  Mallaby's wrecked Lincoln became an image of the fight for independence. The Norwegian Fasc...