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The Jungle is Neutral
Classics of World War II: The Secret War
THE JUNGLE IS NEUTRAL makes "The Bridge Over the River Kwai" look like a tussle in a schoolyard.
F. SPENCER CHAPMAN, the book's unflappable author, narrates with typical British aplomb an amazing tale of four years spent as a guerrilla in the jungle, haranguing the Japanese in occupied Malaysia.
Traveling sometimes by bicycle and motorcycle, rarely by truck, and mainly in dugouts, on foot, and often on his belly through the jungle muck, Chapman recruits sympathetic Chinese, Malays, Tamils, and Sakai tribesman into an irregular corps of jungle fighters. Their mission: to harass the Japanese in any way possible. In riveting scenes, they blow up bridges, cut communication lines, and affix plasticine to troop-filled trucks idling by the road. They build mines by stuffing bamboo with gelignite. They throw grenades and disappear into the jungle, their faces darkened with carbon, their tommy guns wrapped in tape so as not to reflect the moonlight.
And when he is not battling the Japanese, or escaping from their prisons, he is fighting the jungle's incessant rain, wild tigers, unfriendly tribesmen, leeches, and undergrowth so thick it can take four hours to walk a mile.
It is a war story without rival.
THE JUNGLE IS NEUTRAL makes "The Bridge Over the River Kwai" look like a tussle in a schoolyard.
F. SPENCER CHAPMAN, the book's unflappable author, narrates with typical British aplomb an amazing tale of four years spent as a guerrilla in the jungle, haranguing the Japanese in occupied Malaysia.
Traveling sometimes by bicycle and motorcycle, rarely by truck, and mainly in dugouts, on foot, and often on his belly through the jungle muck, Chapman recruits sympathetic Chinese, Malays, Tamils, and Sakai tribesman into an irregular corps of jungle fighters. Their mission: to harass the Japanese in any way possible. In riveting scenes, they blow up bridges, cut communication lines, and affix plasticine to troop-filled trucks idling by the road. They build mines by stuffing bamboo with gelignite. They throw grenades and disappear into the jungle, their faces darkened with carbon, their tommy guns wrapped in tape so as not to reflect the moonlight.
And when he is not battling the Japanese, or escaping from their prisons, he is fighting the jungle's incessant rain, wild tigers, unfriendly tribesmen, leeches, and undergrowth so thick it can take four hours to walk a mile.
It is a war story without rival.
435 pages, Leather Bound
First published January 1, 1949
About the author
F. Spencer Chapman
19 books6 followersFrederick 'Freddie' Spencer Chapman, DSO & Bar, ED was a British Army officer and veteran of World War II who became famous for his exploits behind enemy lines in the jungles of Japanese-occupied Malaya.
Few men in the modern world have lived such an adventurous life as Lieutenant Colonel Chapman. He explored the frozen wastes of Greenland; he climbed among the high mountains of the Himalayas; in his time he was one of the few white men who had visited Lhasa, the capital of Tibet.
During the Second World War, he spent over three years behind the Japanese lines in the jungle of Malaya. He worked with brave Chinese and Malayans, harrying the Japanese across their lines of communication. He was often grievously ill; he was wounded at least three times; twice he was taken prisoner. The first time he fell into the hands of Chinese who were traitors. He escaped from them only to fall into the hands of the Japanese. Once again, he escaped.
Few men in the modern world have lived such an adventurous life as Lieutenant Colonel Chapman. He explored the frozen wastes of Greenland; he climbed among the high mountains of the Himalayas; in his time he was one of the few white men who had visited Lhasa, the capital of Tibet.
During the Second World War, he spent over three years behind the Japanese lines in the jungle of Malaya. He worked with brave Chinese and Malayans, harrying the Japanese across their lines of communication. He was often grievously ill; he was wounded at least three times; twice he was taken prisoner. The first time he fell into the hands of Chinese who were traitors. He escaped from them only to fall into the hands of the Japanese. Once again, he escaped.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
November 24, 2011
As ripping yarns go this ones a doozy, its also got the reputation for being some kind of jungle warfare manual, I think quite unfairly..... Its all about stay behind parties in the deepest jungles, tricky enough in peacetime but when as googolplex of japanese over run the islands well they didn't count on nutters like Spencer F Chapman, all I will say is that if the Australian army breaks and runs well any sane person would try and run faster than they can, but hell no, one man turned and strolls into the jungle to commence a random sort of guerilla warfare on them. So whilst the British and entire commonwealth military scarpered or surrendered (very bad option with hindsight!) he set up a kind of scratch force and decided to fight back, slowly and rather painfully Chapman ended up on a massive jungle learning curve and after a lot of suffering cracked it. Its well written and funny with a particular British cruelty to the gallows humor as well.
On the brighter sides I have almost finished the researches into into the second world war and can go back to comic books soon??? However this book is really worth the read just for the sheer balls of the stay behind parties of force 136........
Worth a read if you are into guerilla warfare :-)
If Not then it is still worth a read just for some of the descriptions of the jungle.
If you don't want to read it for the war or the jungle it equally works as a rather insane example of victory snatched from the jaws of defeat......
It has some very good advice about off road cycling too. (Although it only a paragraph but as an environmentalist cycling type it was a very gripping paragraph indeed. LOL)
On the brighter sides I have almost finished the researches into into the second world war and can go back to comic books soon??? However this book is really worth the read just for the sheer balls of the stay behind parties of force 136........
Worth a read if you are into guerilla warfare :-)
If Not then it is still worth a read just for some of the descriptions of the jungle.
If you don't want to read it for the war or the jungle it equally works as a rather insane example of victory snatched from the jaws of defeat......
It has some very good advice about off road cycling too. (Although it only a paragraph but as an environmentalist cycling type it was a very gripping paragraph indeed. LOL)
March 29, 2013
The Jungle is Neutral: The memoir of a British lieutenant in WWII Malaya who conducts guerilla warfare against the Japanese. It’s not a very gripping story. All the successful guerrilla work takes place in the first quarter of the book, and from there on it is one long anticlimax of malaria, dysentery and thrashing through the jungle. Managing not to die in the jungle for a few years is a pretty good feat for a foreigner but he’s surrounded by locals who do it with less effort, and he doesn’t have much interesting to say about it beyond the bare facts. His major accomplishment between all the not succumbing to illness is training up the Malayan Communist Party cadres in tactics. The book ends with the war so I’m left wondering to what degree the post-war MCP insurgency against the British was more effective because of the good lieutenant’s training.
September 26, 2021
Those who picked up this book hoping to read about his exploits ambushing Japanese soldiers from his base in the jungles of Malaya will be disappointed. It's more about how he survived in the jungles of Japanese-occupied Malaya, his efforts training guerrillas (some of whom would later fight Brits under the Communist flag) and how he survived as a prisoner of war. Being Malaysian, I find this memoir interesting although it was sometimes a slog to read. What I did was skip pages and then come back to recap. Hey, it worked for me. Not necessarily for others.
June 23, 2016
This is probably one of the best non-fiction's I've read for a while. Chapman's narrative is very straightforward and easy to understand. His intent is to communicate, rather than impress, and that is a huge relief (not to mention even more impressive). I don't mind books using the more complex vocabulary that seems to be disappearing from the English language (because how do we prevent them from disappearing?), but I do get irritated when they are used excessively, and when a much simpler sentence would have been more effective.
Anyway, onto the review. Chapman's story is focused entirely on the three years he spent in the Malayan jungle just before and during the Japanese occupation of Malaya (Malaysia today). During that time, he trained and lived with Chinese guerillas, was captured by and escaped from the Japanese, collected plant and flower samples, wrote training manuals and newsletters and most of all, gives us a very real account of the jungle being your home.
Chapman admits that due to circumstances, he suppressed a lot of his emotions during his jungle stay. For obvious reasons, he had to find positive, hopeful and practical reasons to continue his everyday quests, and this attitude is reflected in his narrative. The most striking parts of the book do not come from his recounts of combat, (there’s actually very little of that), it comes from those moment when deeper thoughts peek out - for example: the joy he finds in the simple acts of looking for orchids, and the guilt and shame he feels at being a British soldier who has failed to defend Malaya and Singapore (it doesn’t help that his Chinese guerilla buddies like to remind him of the fact, but it does mean that he tries his best not to make war on Japanese allied Malay soldiers when they fire on him).
(SPOILER - Skip this paragraph if you don’t wish to read it) - One of the more memorable parts for me was Chapman recounting his capture by the Japanese and the very cordial, polite and engaging conversation which followed with their English speaking Officer. Chapman’s tone hints that this conversation was perhaps the most engaging he has had the opportunity to indulge in for a time, probably because he was never bored (he bores easily). Between coming up with believable lies and exchanging genuine pleasantries about his Japanese friends from Cambridge, it seemed to me that Chapman formed a genuine bond with his captor. Later when Chapman says “I hope my Japanese friend was not beheaded for letting me escape.” ...I’m not entirely sure how sarcastic he was being, or if he was being sarcastic at all.
Personally it was a revelation to read Chapman’s account. As a young Malaysian, it was revealing to read about the places Chapman traveled to - places that have been developed, urbanized and look completely different today. His story gives me a sense of the heritage that is slowly disappearing, but also drives home how far we have come in a very short amount of time. Mostly it comes as a reminder that despite what people say about existing race relations in Malaysia, we truly have made exponential progress with living together and recovering from war. There is a bit of hope in that at least. Otherwise I hope that we do not further lose our heritage and history, something that is further driven home when I read about Chapman’s time with the Sakai and their hospitality.
I would recommend that anyone read this book. I originally found it in the Singapore National Library and bought my own copy (it’s in the reference section on the 11th floor if anyone is curious). The lessons that Chapman tries to teach us about cooperation, understanding and survival are still relevant even in our relatively peaceful and modern lives.
Anyway, onto the review. Chapman's story is focused entirely on the three years he spent in the Malayan jungle just before and during the Japanese occupation of Malaya (Malaysia today). During that time, he trained and lived with Chinese guerillas, was captured by and escaped from the Japanese, collected plant and flower samples, wrote training manuals and newsletters and most of all, gives us a very real account of the jungle being your home.
Chapman admits that due to circumstances, he suppressed a lot of his emotions during his jungle stay. For obvious reasons, he had to find positive, hopeful and practical reasons to continue his everyday quests, and this attitude is reflected in his narrative. The most striking parts of the book do not come from his recounts of combat, (there’s actually very little of that), it comes from those moment when deeper thoughts peek out - for example: the joy he finds in the simple acts of looking for orchids, and the guilt and shame he feels at being a British soldier who has failed to defend Malaya and Singapore (it doesn’t help that his Chinese guerilla buddies like to remind him of the fact, but it does mean that he tries his best not to make war on Japanese allied Malay soldiers when they fire on him).
(SPOILER - Skip this paragraph if you don’t wish to read it) - One of the more memorable parts for me was Chapman recounting his capture by the Japanese and the very cordial, polite and engaging conversation which followed with their English speaking Officer. Chapman’s tone hints that this conversation was perhaps the most engaging he has had the opportunity to indulge in for a time, probably because he was never bored (he bores easily). Between coming up with believable lies and exchanging genuine pleasantries about his Japanese friends from Cambridge, it seemed to me that Chapman formed a genuine bond with his captor. Later when Chapman says “I hope my Japanese friend was not beheaded for letting me escape.” ...I’m not entirely sure how sarcastic he was being, or if he was being sarcastic at all.
Personally it was a revelation to read Chapman’s account. As a young Malaysian, it was revealing to read about the places Chapman traveled to - places that have been developed, urbanized and look completely different today. His story gives me a sense of the heritage that is slowly disappearing, but also drives home how far we have come in a very short amount of time. Mostly it comes as a reminder that despite what people say about existing race relations in Malaysia, we truly have made exponential progress with living together and recovering from war. There is a bit of hope in that at least. Otherwise I hope that we do not further lose our heritage and history, something that is further driven home when I read about Chapman’s time with the Sakai and their hospitality.
I would recommend that anyone read this book. I originally found it in the Singapore National Library and bought my own copy (it’s in the reference section on the 11th floor if anyone is curious). The lessons that Chapman tries to teach us about cooperation, understanding and survival are still relevant even in our relatively peaceful and modern lives.
May 30, 2022
Not a good war memoir, more like a hyper and indiscriminately detailed personal journal about living in the jungle, which is exactly what I needed, so that much was helpful.
March 1, 2023
Re-read this one. I first read a biography of the redoubtable Freddie Spencer Chapman, polar explorer then commando and guerrilla fighter in WWII Malaya. Then found and read a second-hand copy of this, his own memoirs. I passed my copy to a friend who’d also read the biography and who is now sadly no longer with us. I’d been thinking about the book lately so found an old hardback online.
Field Marshal Wavell in his introduction describes Chapman as a less introspective or reflective TE Lawrence. That’s fair. He’s not without his depths, but he doesn’t like to let them show.
A remarkable man - tough, resourceful, intelligent, determined. But also often vulnerable - physically frail in the face of jungle illness and infection, and especially clearly nourished spiritually by friendships, art and reading.
You get a sense that he threw in with the communist Chinese guerrillas despite their politics in frustration at how little the British were doing to exploit an ideal geographical and cultural environment for insurgency.
Of it’s time - the slur “Japs” is used heavily, and the brutality of the war is still live in FSC’s mind - there is a dark satisfaction in his footnotes recounting the fates of various traitors and informers, and still live sorrow at the loss of comrades both British and Chinese.
You find very little description of fighting or actual operations here (that may be because written so soon after the war - 1949 - he was thinking of security). There is one vivid scene where they surprise a large patrol of Japanese troops, leading to one of his closest friends being killed.
Most of what he writes about are the realities of jungle life - the landscape, the discomforts, camp life. And food. I had forgotten how much he writes about food. As life-saving sustenance and fuel for recovery from sickness, as comfort and boon to morale.
The book’s title is a reminder of a big part of its appeal for me - FSC thinks pessimism about jungle survival has led to many deaths, while seeing the jungle as an abundant source of food and shelter is equally harmful. Harsh though it is, “the jungle is neutral” and our mental attitude to it governs how well we survive. This and his belief that if you can keep putting one foot in front of the other you can walk your way out of most situations. Literally true? He should know. I’ve certainly taken the metaphorical benefit of his clear-eyed stoicism.
Field Marshal Wavell in his introduction describes Chapman as a less introspective or reflective TE Lawrence. That’s fair. He’s not without his depths, but he doesn’t like to let them show.
A remarkable man - tough, resourceful, intelligent, determined. But also often vulnerable - physically frail in the face of jungle illness and infection, and especially clearly nourished spiritually by friendships, art and reading.
You get a sense that he threw in with the communist Chinese guerrillas despite their politics in frustration at how little the British were doing to exploit an ideal geographical and cultural environment for insurgency.
Of it’s time - the slur “Japs” is used heavily, and the brutality of the war is still live in FSC’s mind - there is a dark satisfaction in his footnotes recounting the fates of various traitors and informers, and still live sorrow at the loss of comrades both British and Chinese.
You find very little description of fighting or actual operations here (that may be because written so soon after the war - 1949 - he was thinking of security). There is one vivid scene where they surprise a large patrol of Japanese troops, leading to one of his closest friends being killed.
Most of what he writes about are the realities of jungle life - the landscape, the discomforts, camp life. And food. I had forgotten how much he writes about food. As life-saving sustenance and fuel for recovery from sickness, as comfort and boon to morale.
The book’s title is a reminder of a big part of its appeal for me - FSC thinks pessimism about jungle survival has led to many deaths, while seeing the jungle as an abundant source of food and shelter is equally harmful. Harsh though it is, “the jungle is neutral” and our mental attitude to it governs how well we survive. This and his belief that if you can keep putting one foot in front of the other you can walk your way out of most situations. Literally true? He should know. I’ve certainly taken the metaphorical benefit of his clear-eyed stoicism.
Read
August 21, 2022History’s most phlegmatic Englishman recounts his history as a guerilla in WW2 Malaysia. Engaging stories of daring-do.
November 16, 2013
Hard work at times, but F.Spencer Chapman is one helluva bloke ! Read it to find out, if nothing else, what spirit lies in this man !
February 7, 2020
The Jungle is Neutral is a 1949 war memoir by Spencer Chapman. Chapman was a British mountaineer and polar explorer who volunteered to stay behind and organize resistance in Malaya during World War II. He fought behind enemy lines for four years, was wounded twice, captured twice and escaped twice. The level of courage and perseverance is simply amazing.
After a short introduction, in which Chapman tries repeatedly to get a front-line mission, he is posted to Malaya and the book takes off at a furious pace. The Japanese overrun Malaya and Singapore much faster than the complacent British think possible. Behind enemy lines, Chapman starts blowing up trains and ambushing convoys on a nightly basis. He quickly makes his initial area of operation too hot and has to go on the run. Unfortunately, the remaining 2/3rds of the book settles down into Chapman just trying to survive. He is embedded with, and virtually a prisoner of, the Malayan Communist Party "resistance", which is more interested in drilling communist ideology and maintaining iron party discipline than in actually fighting the Japanese. Much of the time he is simply battling privation, hunger and tropical disease. Chapman includes detailed and sympathetic descriptions of the life of the Malayan natives, the Sakai, in this part of the book. The "action" parts of the book rate 5 stars. The rest varies between 3 and 4 stars.
The most unusual lines of the book have to be these: "At this meal there was a meat dish about which there seemed to be some mystery. I found it very good, being less rank then monkey though not so good as jungle pig. After the meal I was told that I had been eating Jap. Though I would not knowingly have become a cannibal I was quite interested to have sampled human flesh".
There is also this marvelous description of the tropical fruit called durian: "They are simply delicious, by far the best food I have eaten anywhere: a quintessence of strawberries, bananas, pineapple, cream, and custard with the texture of butter - and yet with a savory tang of onion and Stilton cheese and a faint suggestion of drains [i.e. sewers]"
After a short introduction, in which Chapman tries repeatedly to get a front-line mission, he is posted to Malaya and the book takes off at a furious pace. The Japanese overrun Malaya and Singapore much faster than the complacent British think possible. Behind enemy lines, Chapman starts blowing up trains and ambushing convoys on a nightly basis. He quickly makes his initial area of operation too hot and has to go on the run. Unfortunately, the remaining 2/3rds of the book settles down into Chapman just trying to survive. He is embedded with, and virtually a prisoner of, the Malayan Communist Party "resistance", which is more interested in drilling communist ideology and maintaining iron party discipline than in actually fighting the Japanese. Much of the time he is simply battling privation, hunger and tropical disease. Chapman includes detailed and sympathetic descriptions of the life of the Malayan natives, the Sakai, in this part of the book. The "action" parts of the book rate 5 stars. The rest varies between 3 and 4 stars.
The most unusual lines of the book have to be these: "At this meal there was a meat dish about which there seemed to be some mystery. I found it very good, being less rank then monkey though not so good as jungle pig. After the meal I was told that I had been eating Jap. Though I would not knowingly have become a cannibal I was quite interested to have sampled human flesh".
There is also this marvelous description of the tropical fruit called durian: "They are simply delicious, by far the best food I have eaten anywhere: a quintessence of strawberries, bananas, pineapple, cream, and custard with the texture of butter - and yet with a savory tang of onion and Stilton cheese and a faint suggestion of drains [i.e. sewers]"
August 18, 2021
Freddy Spencer Chapman's account of his years in the Malayan jungle fighting the Japanese, and one of the most memorable accounts of warfare to emerge from World War 2.
It is, perhaps, a bit dated in its language and attitudes, it is nevertheless an extraordinary testament to the human capacity for survival. Rather than present war as heroic, he portrays it as exhausting, frightening and chaotic spells interspersing the tedium and routine.
Spencer Chapman lived with Communist guerrillas and, unlike many Western accounts, recognises their role and their courage in defeating the Japanese.
While, for the general reader, this provides a fascinating read with the heroism of its author understated and his dogged determination to survive obvious in every chapter, it's also a textbook on guerrilla warfare – organise, motivate, build a cohesive, cooperative, resolute cadre … stay alert, keep well informed, move, adapt … pick your targets, don't let the enemy see you do anything predictable. The lessons are there. It's the record of a man struggling to survive, it's also the voice of a professonal soldier staying focussed.
We live in an era when thousands of utterly rank books are published every year claiming to offer 'inspirational' or 'motivational' advice, churning out the same pap trash. If you want to read something truly inspiring, "The Jungle is Neutral" may not necessarily be an easy read, but it's certainly an inspirational one. It will help put into perspective any problems or adversity you face.
Freddy Spencer Chapman was wounded, injured, found himself in a coma for weeks, and carried the physical legacy of his experiences for the rest of his life. His injuries and illness would eventually drive him to suicide in 1971. "The Jungle is Neutral" is a fitting legacy for a remarkable man, and remains one of the classic accounts of war.
It is, perhaps, a bit dated in its language and attitudes, it is nevertheless an extraordinary testament to the human capacity for survival. Rather than present war as heroic, he portrays it as exhausting, frightening and chaotic spells interspersing the tedium and routine.
Spencer Chapman lived with Communist guerrillas and, unlike many Western accounts, recognises their role and their courage in defeating the Japanese.
While, for the general reader, this provides a fascinating read with the heroism of its author understated and his dogged determination to survive obvious in every chapter, it's also a textbook on guerrilla warfare – organise, motivate, build a cohesive, cooperative, resolute cadre … stay alert, keep well informed, move, adapt … pick your targets, don't let the enemy see you do anything predictable. The lessons are there. It's the record of a man struggling to survive, it's also the voice of a professonal soldier staying focussed.
We live in an era when thousands of utterly rank books are published every year claiming to offer 'inspirational' or 'motivational' advice, churning out the same pap trash. If you want to read something truly inspiring, "The Jungle is Neutral" may not necessarily be an easy read, but it's certainly an inspirational one. It will help put into perspective any problems or adversity you face.
Freddy Spencer Chapman was wounded, injured, found himself in a coma for weeks, and carried the physical legacy of his experiences for the rest of his life. His injuries and illness would eventually drive him to suicide in 1971. "The Jungle is Neutral" is a fitting legacy for a remarkable man, and remains one of the classic accounts of war.
November 15, 2022
This is an interesting book about WWII in Malaysia before and after the fall of Singapore. It is written in a typically understated way by F. Spencer Chapman who survived in the jungle living with and training Chinese guerilla fighters who were harassing the Japanese. Much of the book is about moving and living in the jungle with its dangers from insects,leaches, snakes, wild animals, hostile soldiers, disease and lack of food. In 1941 Chapman was a Major in the British Army tasked with developing soldiers and volunteers to stay behind if and when Singapore fell. While he was out in the jungle, Singapore did fall and he found himself evading Japanese patrols and locals who were sympathetic to the Japanese. He eventually contacted Chinese Communist guerillas who welcomed him. They wanted his training and expertise to improve their fighting capabilities. Without sympathizing with their political views Chapman conducted numerous training sessions. His aim though was eventually to get to the coast and somehow get to India. That happened in 1945 and he returned to Malaysia after the Japanese had surrendered. He was tasked with traveling throughout the country to accept the surrender of the Japanese forces. The book is full of descriptions of the jungle, local inhabitants and of the Chinese he worked with. There are stories of sabotage and ambush missions against Japanese targets but most of the book is about his survival in the jungle. A point of interest to the military enthusiasts is the vast amount of intelligence he gathered about the Japanese and his Chinese associates. There are many tales of how poorly the Japanese treated the locals and how they tortured prisoners and randomly killed locals for suspected helping the guerillas. It is a very interesting read about an aspect of the war that is overlooked frequently.
August 16, 2021
‘The Jungle is Neutral’ is a book which I have wanted to read for ages.
This was written by a Colonel in the British Army who was first posted here to help conduct training in guerrilla warfare. The British actually didn’t expect to fall to the Japanese because they thought they had good defences set up in Singapore but they did and Colonel Chapman ended up training a lot of Communist guerrillas in the jungle to fight the Japanese. His 3 1/2 years spent in the Malayan jungle was one of unforeseen hardships and sufferings due to the harsh conditions in the jungle as well as to various diseases. Many of his fellow officers lost their lives succumbing to various diseases or were beheaded by the Japanese.
One of his observations of the dire plight of his fellow officers ~
“My experience is that the length of life of the British private soldier accidentally left behind in the Malayan jungle was only a few months, while the average N.C.O., being more intelligent, might last a year or even longer. To them the jungle seemed predominantly hostile, being full of man-eating tigers, deadly fevers, venomous snakes and scorpions, natives with poisoned darts, and a host of half-imagined nameless terrors. They were unable to adapt themselves to a new way of life and a diet of rice and vegetables. In this green hell they expected to be dead within a few weeks- and as a rule they were.
The truth is that the jungle is neutral. It provides any amount of fresh water, and unlimited cover for friend as well as foe - an armed neutrality, if you like, but neutrality nevertheless. It is the attitude of mind that determines whether you go under or survive. ‘There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.’ The jungle itself is neutral.”
Chapman has also thoughtfully provided detailed maps for us to follow his exploits up and down the country as he travels to various guerrilla camps. It’s interesting to note all the familiar names of the places mentioned in this historical account.
October 11, 2019
It gives you a glimpse of how living in the jungle during the Japanese Occupation in WW2 feels like. What's cool is that the author is a British soldier who graduated from Cambridge and an expert in guerilla warfare. He lived with the Chinese guerillas, barely had food to eat, waded through a river with crocodiles, captured by the Japanese and there's a lot more life-threatening experience that you can read from this book. It somehow made me appreciate more of my grandparents for enduring through such a horrible and difficult period in Malaya.
-Cons
Despite the interesting stories told in the book, it's quite difficult reading it especially of the author's descriptions of his surrounding conditions, landscapes, and terrains. I find it hard to imagine what he described probably due to my not being familiar with the terrains of the jungles.
There are also a few errors in the spelling of the Malay words in the book such as "Songkar" which should be correctly spelled as "Songkok". But if you're Malaysian I think you will not have a problem with this as you can immediately tell when a word is wrongly spelled.
-Cons
Despite the interesting stories told in the book, it's quite difficult reading it especially of the author's descriptions of his surrounding conditions, landscapes, and terrains. I find it hard to imagine what he described probably due to my not being familiar with the terrains of the jungles.
There are also a few errors in the spelling of the Malay words in the book such as "Songkar" which should be correctly spelled as "Songkok". But if you're Malaysian I think you will not have a problem with this as you can immediately tell when a word is wrongly spelled.
November 22, 2020
A very interesting book about a less visited theatre of war. Unfortunately Chapman's book has the tendency to be rather critical of asians, Chinese in particular. I think he may be forgiven for the casual racism which was par for the course in those days.
Chin Peng, the Communist guerrilla leader who worked with Chapman, had this to say in his excellent book MY SIDE OF HISTORY:
"Historians and authors interpreting this segment of history have come primarily from the West. Their bias has been unashamedly pro-West and frequently very racial. If you read Chapman's The Jungle is Neutral - unquestionably the best report available of guerrilla life in Japanese-occupied Malaya - you will find his text peppered with slurs against Asians. Interestingly enough, though, Chapman seemed to pride himself on the relationships he established with us. In his and most other western chronicles of these times, Asians during the Japanese occupation, were the sole betrayers - Malay, Chinese and Indians alike. Asians were ignorant, particularly in the art of warfare."
Chin Peng, the Communist guerrilla leader who worked with Chapman, had this to say in his excellent book MY SIDE OF HISTORY:
"Historians and authors interpreting this segment of history have come primarily from the West. Their bias has been unashamedly pro-West and frequently very racial. If you read Chapman's The Jungle is Neutral - unquestionably the best report available of guerrilla life in Japanese-occupied Malaya - you will find his text peppered with slurs against Asians. Interestingly enough, though, Chapman seemed to pride himself on the relationships he established with us. In his and most other western chronicles of these times, Asians during the Japanese occupation, were the sole betrayers - Malay, Chinese and Indians alike. Asians were ignorant, particularly in the art of warfare."
February 4, 2023
5/5 - What a wild story… after Pearl Harbor, the Japanese Army quickly took over Singapore, after which the Malayan Peninsula came under their control. E. Spencer Chapman came to be caught behind enemy lines, where he organized and launched guerrilla warfare tactics against the invading army. With a few other British soldiers, conspiring Chinese guerrilla fighters, and cooperating Sakai tribesmen, they set roadside bombs, ambushed troop transports, and mapped out organizational deployment of the Japanese forces. Following a surprise meeting with a large Japanese convoy on an isolated road, Chapman was forced to escape into the jungle, where he survived behind enemy lines for 2 years, traveling to Chinese guerrilla camps, following Sakai trails through the jungle, and generally having a rough time. This was quite a yarn taking place in a corner of history I knew very little about - thank Nate Dominy for the suggestion years ago on the road across South Africa! I’ve been carrying the book with me ever since, and glad I finally waded in.
March 4, 2018
Touted as a classic of guerilla warfare. Indeed I learned more about the true nature of guerillas from this than any other source. There is the very short period when Chapman is engaged in true sabotage and irregular warfare against the Japanese supply lines. Then he drops into the murky world of communist guerillas for years of intermittent malaria and tedious boredom. Certainly the communists aren't in the least interested in any actual endeavours against the occupying power - simply they bide their time and build up control over territory - not at the expense of the Japanese but against any legitimate authority. This is the true nature of things - guerillas do not fight they form governments of oppression and exploitation and thus the evils of communism begin and take root.
May 17, 2022
it‘a a wonder he survived
What with all the bouts of malaria and the dangers it truly is amazing how the author even survived. There was a lot of trust involved and a lot of luck. On the downside, the language in parts is egotistic and derisive but that’s as much due to the time of writing as to the author’s character though that undoubtedly does contribute to the writing style just as much as the language of the time. ‘too old and stupid’ is one example of the kind of language any reader will come across which, to some, might be considered as an offensive way of talking about those involved with helping those British soldiers that eluded capture in Malaya despite the best efforts of the Japanese. Otherwise an enthralling account.
What with all the bouts of malaria and the dangers it truly is amazing how the author even survived. There was a lot of trust involved and a lot of luck. On the downside, the language in parts is egotistic and derisive but that’s as much due to the time of writing as to the author’s character though that undoubtedly does contribute to the writing style just as much as the language of the time. ‘too old and stupid’ is one example of the kind of language any reader will come across which, to some, might be considered as an offensive way of talking about those involved with helping those British soldiers that eluded capture in Malaya despite the best efforts of the Japanese. Otherwise an enthralling account.
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December 13, 2020I learned about this book when I was in the Peace Corps in Malaysia but never read it. Having recently read 2 novels about Malaya I was inspired to read this book. It was not quite what I expected but I enjoyed it. Chapman's experiences traveling through the jungle of Malaya was incredible. He was running from the Japanese but often found help and friendship from Chinese, Malay and aboriginal natives, all of whom live in relative harmony in present day Malaysia. . JSYK The Federation of Malaya was formed in 1957 at independence from the British and became the Federation of Malaysia in 1963
October 1, 2023
This is an extraordinary tale of mental strength, endurance, determination and sheer bloody-mindedness. It is written in a matter-of-fact style, as if seeking to recapture his lost diaries. Rather than dramatizing events he does the opposite but if the reader pauses for a moment to digest what has just happened they can imagine what the situation must have been like. As someone who once got lost in the Malayan jungle (albeit for only 30 minutes) I can only gasp in admiration for his fortitude. I doubt more than one in ten million people placed in such a circumstance would survive a month, let alone the better part of four years.
January 6, 2019
This is brilliant account of author wherein he describes his years behind enemy lines in Japanese occupied Malaya.
The author stays there for better part of second world war, organises resistance, participates in acts of sabotage, lives off the land, faces severe illness many a times, almost dies at least once, moves through jungles, rivers to survive n ultimately meets up with a submarine to escape. In between he is also a prisoner of war for sometime.
An excellent account of survival n small team action, the book is must read.
The author stays there for better part of second world war, organises resistance, participates in acts of sabotage, lives off the land, faces severe illness many a times, almost dies at least once, moves through jungles, rivers to survive n ultimately meets up with a submarine to escape. In between he is also a prisoner of war for sometime.
An excellent account of survival n small team action, the book is must read.
November 7, 2017
and so I finished it! though I did not want it to end. a journey through my country through the eyes of a foreigner forced to adapt to ways so familiar to me. I enjoyed his narrative style, precise recollections and optimistic plans even in the throes of raging fevers and grip of dysentry. His hope sttengthened because he had faith in the goodness of people. the jungle is indeed neutral but can become anything you want it to be.
December 12, 2019
A British commando survives for three years in Japanese controlled Malaysia, living among Chinese guerrillas, drunken bandits, native Sakai bands, and on his own. The vast majority of the time, he is barefooted. The author had also, as far as I understand, explored the arctic and climbed the Himalayas. It's an amazing story that blows any of the contemporary military stuff away. It's not particularly well written, but who cares?
February 25, 2020
Mixed feelings. As a survival story it is fascinating. It is a first-hand account of a military undercover agent in Japanese occupied Malaya. The author was there for over three years, and the dangers he faced from the harsh climate and the enemy, as well as at times friendlies, is pretty amazing.
However, there are clearly places where his memory is sketchy. He kept diaries but lost them on occasion. Hence the book, perhaps like his experience, is a times a little disorientated. At one point he describes being shot, and his arm rendered numb and useless, yet no further mention is made of it and he seems to carry on regardless.
As an eye-witness account it lacks a lot of the broader picture. And without a good idea of the geography it is all a bit of a challenge to keep track of things, especially given that much of the story goes on within a jungle. Hence, if possible, get an edition with decent maps, whichever one that might be. The reproduction of the maps in my paperback was terrible and they were pretty useless.
The author’s official role was to support insurgent forces. However, one gets the impression that he was as much there to keep tabs on the Chinese communists as to fight the Japanese. Apart from early in the book where the author himself engages in action against the enemy, blowing up trains and so on, as it progresses very little is recounted of the resistance itself, more the author’s own struggles to keep camps secure, evade the enemy and obtain supplies. Not to diminish this in any way, the excitement and tension is always simmering away beyond that, but there is something lacking in the account.
However, there are clearly places where his memory is sketchy. He kept diaries but lost them on occasion. Hence the book, perhaps like his experience, is a times a little disorientated. At one point he describes being shot, and his arm rendered numb and useless, yet no further mention is made of it and he seems to carry on regardless.
As an eye-witness account it lacks a lot of the broader picture. And without a good idea of the geography it is all a bit of a challenge to keep track of things, especially given that much of the story goes on within a jungle. Hence, if possible, get an edition with decent maps, whichever one that might be. The reproduction of the maps in my paperback was terrible and they were pretty useless.
The author’s official role was to support insurgent forces. However, one gets the impression that he was as much there to keep tabs on the Chinese communists as to fight the Japanese. Apart from early in the book where the author himself engages in action against the enemy, blowing up trains and so on, as it progresses very little is recounted of the resistance itself, more the author’s own struggles to keep camps secure, evade the enemy and obtain supplies. Not to diminish this in any way, the excitement and tension is always simmering away beyond that, but there is something lacking in the account.
September 4, 2018
Is an incredible story by a British soldier spencer chapman who worked at Malaya for about three years and a half. An unforgettable experienced told by the colonel during the world war 2 about how the Japanese army treat them in captivity. An amazing story best suited for those that like history and non-fiction type of book.
December 22, 2017
It is a fun and adventurous story but at times the descriptions are too lengthy and boring. It has a different view totally on the history of Malaysia as where the Chinese guerillas were against the Japanese but the other races were all working hand in hand with Japanese. It is an eye opener story.
January 25, 2022
A tale of war and survival in the jungles of Japanese occupied Malaya.
I found this book to be highly entertaining with a wealth of detail about life on the run in the war torn jungles of what was then called Malaya. I would recommend this book to all lovers of military history.
I found this book to be highly entertaining with a wealth of detail about life on the run in the war torn jungles of what was then called Malaya. I would recommend this book to all lovers of military history.
December 27, 2022
An epic tale of survival, determination and grit. It always astonishes me when I read about the courage and extraordinary feats of the men and women who went to war. I'd love to see a TV or movie series based on these incredible adventures
August 4, 2023
This was what I hoped it would be: British dude recruited Chinese and Malaysian guerrillas to fight Japanese occupiers in Malaysia in World War II and wrote his memoir. The first half is all him suffering in the jungle; it doesn't get entertaining until the second half.
July 9, 2021
What a man! He makes the rest of us feel like pygmies. Recommended
February 14, 2023
Finally got around to reading this. Vivid evocation of guerrilla warfare in Malayan jungles during World War II. Very Netflix friendly stuff
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