Gerald Templer, English field marshal and politician, British High Commissioner in Malaya (d. 1979)
Field Marshal Sir Gerald Walter Robert Templer, (11 September 1898 – 25 October 1979) was a senior British Army officer. He fought in both the world wars and had taken part in the crushing of the Arab Revolt in Palestine. As Chief of the Imperial General Staff, the professional head of the British Army, from 1955 to 1958, he was Prime Minister Anthony Eden's chief military adviser during the Suez Crisis. He is also credited as a founder of the United Kingdom's National Army Museum.
He is best known for implementing strategies that heavily contributed to the defeat of the Malayan National Liberation Army (MNLA) during the Malayan Emergency. Although some historians have described his approach as a successful example of a "hearts and minds" campaign, other scholars have dismissed this as a myth due to his reliance on population control and coercion. Despite the ethics of his actions being hotly debated in the British parliament, many of the strategies he enforced were later (unsuccessfully) implemented by the United States in Vietnam.
1898Sep, 11
Gerald Templer
Choose Another Date
Events on 1898
- 20Apr
Spanish-American War
President William McKinley signed a joint resolution to Congress for declaration of War against Spain, beginning the Spanish-American War. - 10Jun
United States Marine Corps
Spanish-American War: U.S. Marines land on the island of Cuba. - 3Jul
Battle of Santiago de Cuba
A Spanish squadron, led by Pascual Cervera y Topete, is defeated by an American squadron under William T. Sampson in the Battle of Santiago de Cuba. - 23Aug
Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration
The Southern Cross Expedition, the first British venture of the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration, departs from London. - 13Sep
Photographic film
Hannibal Goodwin patents celluloid photographic film.