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Global Histories, Imperial Commodities, Local Interactions pp 204–223Cite as

Palgrave Macmillan

The Battle for Rubber in the Second World War: Cooperation and Resistance

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Part of the book series: Cambridge Imperial and Post-Colonial Studies Series ((CIPCSS))

Abstract

As part of a broader study, John Tully has recently tackled the social history of rubber in the Second World War, at a time when control of this commodity assumed urgent strategic significance, due to the mechanisation of the world s armed forces.1 This is a welcome development, but Tully s story leaves many crucial gaps. Moreover, his narrative pits grasping and greedy elites against a combative and heroic workforce, allowing for few or no shades of grey.

My thanks are due to Linda Hetherington (librarian at the Tun Abdul Razak Research Centre, Brickendonbury, Hertford), and to David Birmingham, Allen Howard, Peter Morris, S. Nawiyanto, Catherine Ngefan, Ian Nish, Declan O’Reilly, Rolf Petri, Andrew Roberts and Nick Westcott, for generously supplying me with materials for this project.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, UK

    William G. Clarence-Smith (Professor of the Economic History of Asia and Africa)

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  1. William G. Clarence-Smith
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of the Americas, University College London, UK

    Jonathan Curry-Machado (Coordinator, Commodities of Empire Project Associate Fellow) (Coordinator, Commodities of Empire Project Associate Fellow)

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© 2013 William G. Clarence-Smith

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Clarence-Smith, W.G. (2013). The Battle for Rubber in the Second World War: Cooperation and Resistance. In: Curry-Machado, J. (eds) Global Histories, Imperial Commodities, Local Interactions. Cambridge Imperial and Post-Colonial Studies Series. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137283603_11

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