Draws on experiences of the author, as well as his British, Malayan and American colleagues, in action against Communist guerillas.

pt. 1. Defensive (1945-51): Growth of a communist party -- Recipe for chaos -- Strikes and subversion -- Riot and rebellion -- A state of emergency -- The big battalions -- The Briggs plan -- Malaya and Vietnam, the critical years -- pt. 2. Offensive (1952-55): Sir Gerald Templer -- Across the jungle fringe -- Intelligence agents, fact and fantasy -- Surrendered enemy personnel (SEP's) -- The anatomy of an offensive operation -- Intelligence and the killing stage -- pt. 3. Victory (1955-60): The way to independence -- Foreigners in an independent country -- Remote areas and the border problem -- Air support -- The crumble and the hard core -- Conclusions -- Appendixes: A. Chronological summary of events -- Abbreviations -- Maps and charts: Map of Malaya -- State and district war executive committees -- The parallel hierarchy -- An MCP branch and its supporters -- Map of a typical district -- Map of white areas -- A pattern of counterinsurgency.