Confrontation with Indonesia (1964-66)
Would you be a good foreign affairs decision maker?

Teacher's Guide

To go to the list of pages and printing instructions for this exercise click here.

This decision-making simulation is an excellent exercise for helping students understand the political context in which Konfrontasi, the Confrontation with Indonesia in Borneo, was conducted. We suggest that the exercise is most effective if presented in this way:

1. Put students into groups of 4 or 8.

2. Hand out a folder of Briefing Materials to each group. For a group of 4 that folder should contain:

• 4 copies of File Attachment A and B

• 1 copy of File Attachment C - F

• 2 copies of File Attachment G - H

• 4 copies of File Attachment I.

(If the groups are 8, then double the quantities of pages handed out.)

File Attachment J should be kept by the teacher, and File Attachment K can be handed out at the end to help the ‘debriefing session’ (see paragraph 7 below).

We suggest that you go to each of the pages in turn, print the page using your browser's PRINT command, then produce the required number of copies by photocopying. If you wish to do this just click the following link.
[ View/Print pages ]

3. One (or two) in each group become responsible for presenting the information affecting a particular country (File Attachments C - F). They do not represent that country - every student has to represent and make decisions for Australia. But they are responsible for making sure that the information on ‘their’ country is put to and understood by the whole group.

4. Read out situations (File Attachment J) one by one, and have students discuss and make a decision after each. They must make a unanimous decision. If they cannot make a unanimous decision within the time allowed by the teacher they are penalised 10 points.

5. After each decision has been made, read out the consequences for that decision (also in File Attachment J), allow any comments or discussion, and then move on to the next situation. Students should be keeping a progressive tally of points gained and lost.

6. After the final situation, discuss the results of the students’ decision-making efforts. What became most important? Which were the hardest decisions to make? Was it hard to come to unanimous decisions? Were they happy with their decisions?

7. Then go through what was actually done (File Attachment K).

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