Overview

"Singapore had to build a military from scratch starting in 1965, with compulsory national service introduced in 1967. This is the story of the Singapore Armed Forces in the form of a collective portrait of its leaders. Tens of thousands of Singaporeans (overwhelmingly men) were commissioned as officers between 1965 and 2018, but only 170 individuals served as flag officers in this period. What Sets Singapore's Generals and Admirals apart? Why did they join the military? What motivated them to stay? How do they explain and understand their career and their individual choices? How are their roles changing as Singapore's society becomes more prosperous and complex? What role do they expect to play after they leave the military? In a society where the majority Chinese population traditionally devalued military careers, and where military service was associated with foreign occupiers and colonisers, how did Singapore build a culture of leadership for its armed forces? What role did the SAF Scholars scheme, introduced in 1971, play in forming this culture? Given their prominence, and their portrayal by political leaders as an ""aristocracy of talent"", it is no surprise that myths about the military leadership abound. This book takes on the myths directly, through 28 interviews with flag officers, and analysis of the history and structure of the Singapore Armed Forces. Inspired by the 1971 Morris Janowitz classic, The Professional Soldier: A Social and Political Portrait,  this book provides a rare window on an exceptional institution."

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9789813250079

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Reviews

The book's most interesting aspect is the presentation of the views of former high-level officers in Singapore's military. This forms the best and most fruitful sources of the motivations, ambitions, and perspectives of the country's military elite. -- Asian Review of Books

The book's most interesting aspect is the presentation of the views of former high-level officers in Singapore's military. This forms the best and most fruitful sources of the motivations, ambitions, and perspectives of the country's military elite. --Asian Review of Books

Ling breaks new ground by skilfully using oral testimonies of former flag officers that he interviewed to put together a social history of the military elite of the SAF and Singapore... The book is remarkable for the amount of research material featured and evidence presented. --John Kwok Journal of the Malaysian Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society One cannot help but be impressed by the scholarly dedication of the author. Chan's work deserves credit for filling a gaping hole in the academic frontline. -- SOJOURN The book's most interesting aspect is the presentation of the views of former high-level officers in Singapore's military. This forms the best and most fruitful sources of the motivations, ambitions, and perspectives of the country's military elite. -- Asian Review of Books By virtue of its rich interdisciplinary coverage and prodigious research, Samuel Chan's book on the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), and its elites, is a seminal event. Scoring very high for its incredibly accurate snapshot of the Singapore Armed Forces, Chan's manuscript is a labour of love and reverence for his subject. -- Journal of Current Southeast Asian Affairs

Author Information

Samuel Ling Wei Chan is an adjunct lecturer with the University of New South Wales, Canberra.

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