UMAJF

United Malayan Anti-Japanese Front Barisan Anti-Jepun Malaya Bersatu UMAJF
Flag of the Front TAG = MLY
Politics
Capital	Taiping
Ruling Party	UMAJF-PKM
Head of State	Chin Peng
Head of Government	Vacant Position
Diplomacy
Sphere	N/A
Foreign Alignment	N/A
Economy
GDP	$0.20B
Credit Rating	Good
Market Type	Planned Economy

The United Malayan Anti-Japanese Front, commonly known as the UMAJF, is a partisan-led front fighting the colonial government of Japanese Malaysia. Made up of an alliance of Malay and Chinese partisans fighting against the Japanese and their collaborators. While driven from major cities, the resistance is still alive, albeit depleted.

This conflict is present at the start of the game, known as the Malayan Emergency.

History

The UMAJF is an alliance between four different groups: the Communist Party of Malaya (PKM) led by Chin Peng, the socialists under Ahmad Boestamam, the nationalist PEKEMBAR under Tun Abdul Razak, and the Askar Wataniah Regiment under pro-nationalist General Yeop Mahidin.

The MPAJA (PKM)

With the Japanese invasion of Malaya beginning in December 1941, the MCP offered the British Government support against the Japanese advance. The British colonial authorities readily accepted the CPM's standing offer of military co-operation. On 15 December, all left-wing political prisoners were released.

From 20 December, the British military began to train party members in guerilla warfare at the hastily established 101st Special Training School (101st STS) in Singapore. About 165 MCP members were trained before the British defences collapsed. These fighters, scantily armed and equipped by the hard-pressed British, hurriedly dispersed and attempted to harass the occupying army.

Just before Singapore fell to the Japanese on 15 February 1942, the party began organising armed resistance in the state of Johore. Soon four armed groups, which became known as 'Regiments', were formed, with 101st STS trainees serving as nuclei. In March this force was dubbed the Malayan People's Anti-Japanese Army (MPAJA) and began sabotage and ambushes against the Japanese. The Japanese responded with reprisals against Chinese civilians. These reprisals, coupled with increasing economic hardship, caused large numbers of Malayan Chinese to flee the cities. They became squatters at the forest margins, where they became the main source of recruits, food, and other assistance for the MPAJA. The MPAJA consolidated this support by providing protection for these Malayan Chinese refugees

By mid-1942 the regimental strengths were about 100 in the first Regiment, 160 in the 2nd, 360 in the 3rd, and 250 in the 4th. At this time a 5th, 6th, and 7th Regiment were formed. This army, which included women, was conceived as both a military and political force, along Maoist lines.

However, an extensive setback would cost the resistance dearly.

When Singapore fell, a prominent member of the CPM, Lai Teck was arrested by the Japanese and became their agent. On 1 September 1942, acting on his information, the Japanese launched a dawn raid on a secret conference of more than 100 CPM and MPAJA leaders at the Batu Caves just north of Kuala Lumpur, killing most of it's pre-war leadership. This loss of trained and high ranking personnel forced the MPAJA to abandon its political commissar system, and forced military commanders became the heads of the regiments. Following this setback the MPAJA avoided engagements and concentrated on consolidation, amassing 4,500 soldiers by Spring 1943. It was here the strategy of reorganising along the jungle proved popular.

By 1957, the MPAJA had popular support amongst the populace, and Chin Peng launched the Malayan Revolt, taking the Japanese collaborationist government by surprise as towns and cities were abandoned by their garrisons. However, as Japan consolidated and launched their intervention, the MPAJA would see itself defeated and shattered by superior Japanese forces. Retreating from Pahang and nothern Perak, they would re-establish themselves along the Thai-Malayan border, near Taiping, occasionally launching raids from their base area.

Askar Wataniah

During the Japanese Occupation of Malaya, the Chinese dominated MPAJA conducted guerrilla warfare against the Japanese occupiers. Meanwhile, as only the regular Malay Regiment led by British officers had acquitted itself well until the surrender in Singapore (February 1942), the British felt it was possible to involve Malays in the resistance against the Japanese but only with extensive training and by working in close cooperation with the stay-behind British forces.

The British desperately needed Malay resistance fighters to operate in Malay-dominated areas. During the Japanese Occupation, a number of local Malays formed resistance groups and carried out guerrilla warfare against the Japanese. Resistance units in Pahang were called WATANIAH, derived from the Arabic word WATAN (state). The Wataniah was led by Yeop Mahidin Bin Mohamed Shafiff, under Force 136 of the Special Operations Executive was amongst the British formations that coordinated the Malayan resistance (including the Wataniah movement) against the Japanese.

However, as the British capitulated in early 1945, aid to the resistance cells would subsequently diminish, with nascent aid coming from Australia and the United States. Efforts to lobby for support would see the beginning of Operation Nassau by the CIA. As the Malayan Revolt occured, the Askar Wataniah cells laid dormant, only rising up when conflicts between MPAJA and local Malays occured. By the time of the Japanese intervention, Askar Wataniah decided to take action, raiding and attacking Japanese positions. However, they would be beaten time and time again. By 1961, Yeop Mahidin decided to realise the facts, a joint collaboration with the communists was the only way to drive the Japanese out.

Unification

Travelling secretly to the Taiping Base Area, Mahidin and Chin Peng would meet, along with their organisations, to work together against the Japanese. This unification of both organisations, along with the transfer and sharing of information on fellow resistance members and organisations such as PEKEMBAR, it would be the nucleus of the United Malayan Anti Japanese Front (UMAJF).

Now as 1962 opens up, a new front finds itself at the mercy of the Japanese, ready to defeat the resistance once and for all. Although the United Front holds steady for now, things may change should they achieve victory over the common enemy.

Gameplay

Possible Paths

There are 4 possible endings for the UMAJF: Total Victory, 2 Ceasefires and Total Defeat.

UMAJF Leaning Ceasefire and Victory

Should the UMAJF achieve total victory against the Shonan-Marai and the collaborators, with American backing via Operation Nassau. Chin Peng will step down as head of the front and sets up a provisional government to rule until an election is held between electoral candidates, mainly between the moderate socialist Ahmed Boestamam and the U.S backed candidate Tun-Abdul Razak win and finally transition into a federation.

Similarly, an UMAJF-leaning ceasefire can happen. In this instance, the UMAJF will hold whatever gains it has made. Meanwhile, the Japanese will restore the Sultanate of Johor's standing over the peninsula, led by the Japanese collaborator, Ibrahim of Johor.

UMAJF Stalemate and Defeat

If neither the UMAJF nor the Shonan-Marai forces achieve any amount of major victory or progress against each other, a ceasefire can happen. In this instance, Chin Peng in a last ditch effort, annexes all UMAJF territory and renames the guerilla state to the Malayan National Liberation Army or MNLA, though he can be couped by Yeop Mahidin and the Askar Wataniah.

Should Yeop Mahidin coup the government, he can invite back the exiled Tun Hussein Onn from India to lead the new government. This state, if led by Hussein Onn can potentially reunify with the north if a referendum advocating for unification with the collaborators around the year 1970 succeeds.

In the worst case scenario, they are completely defeated by the Gunseibu and it's collaborators, with Malaya forever enslaved under the rays of the Rising Sun. A puppet government will be installed instead, however.

National Spirits

The UMAJF Starts off with the following National Spirits

Name	In Game Description	Effects
Dismal Infrastructure	The long resistance against the Rising Sun's tyranny has wrecked our homes, and our logistics, to its breaking point. The back and forth between the turncoat collaborationists have only hardened our resolve, yet it has scarred our land and our people. The UMAJF doesn't lack spirit, but spirit seems to be the only thing we have to spare.	Division Speed: -20.00% Division Organization: -10.0% Division Attack: -20.0%
The United Malayan Anti-Japanese Front	Where the rest of Southeast Asia bowed their heads to the Japanese Empire, we haven't. Ever since the Japanese laid their jackboot on our home, we have fought against the 25th. Many times we have taken our land from them, and many times have the lapdogs forced us to hide. Every bullet fired, every tear shed, and every son and daughter of Malaya buried in its prime has been for the dream of a future where our sons and daughters may not live under the oppression and tyranny. Give us freedom, or give us death.	Reconnaissance: +10.0% Division Attack: +5.0% Division Defense: -5.0%
Driven to the Countryside	Malaya has seen a never-ending war for ten years between her daughters, and the foreigners from the east. Singapore has been passed from our hands to the traitors hands multiple times, and, as of now, once again, Japan holds the light of the south. While sympathetic villages and towns recieve her weary soldiers, this situation cannot repeat in perpetuity. There's no time to lick wounds and wait for an opportunity that may be lost, we will strike, and hope for the best. For the worst is death, simple as.	Daily Political Power Gain: -0.60 Stability: -15.00% Production Efficiency Cap: -30.00% Reinforce Rate: +10.0%
Operation Nassau	Across the sea, our figureheads and representatives have reached out to Japan's rival, the United States, for aid and supplies. Ten years of long fighting against the Japanese led to this standstill, and we cannot spend ten more. American supplies and guns will flow, and a guarantee of safety once we retake Malaya, once and for all.	Non-core Manpower: +2.00% Recruitable Population Factor: 2% Army Organization Regain: +20.00% Weekly Stability: +1.00%