In much of post-war South-east Asia, the central role played by militaries in the struggle for independence such as in Indonesia earned the armed forces a place in the national narrative.

For centuries, Vietnamese nationalism drew strength from its past of armed resistance against imperial authority. In the absence of a war of armed resistance to colonial authority, it is perhaps understandable that Singapore's military history draws upon its involvement in British colonial rule as a convenient starting point. There are, however, limits to appropriating Singapore's colonial military history as Singaporean.