Part 7/9:
By 1965, as Singapore's independence became imminent, the British government was increasingly disinterested in maintaining their military presence there. They prioritized withdrawal, driven by both political shifts and strategic reassessment. The fear that a new, potentially hostile government in Singapore might restrict or remove the base contributed significantly to the British decision to pull out altogether.
The historical secrecy surrounding these nuclear deployments suggests that Britain’s military planners viewed Singapore as a crucial but sensitive part of their nuclear network—one that they sought to keep hidden from the local population and political leadership to preserve strategic advantages while minimizing domestic and international fallout.