The Secret Creation of Britain's Last Colony

In 1965, as Britain’s empire was rapidly dismantling, it secretly created a new colony in the Indian Ocean. The British Indian Ocean Territory was carved out of the colonial territories of Mauritius and Seychelles, and its creation forced the displacement of the islands’ entire population to make way for Anglo-American military facilities.

How did this happen, and why? What did Britain and the United States hope to achieve by establishing a strategic military presence in the Indian Ocean? And how did this seemingly obscure colonial manoeuvre help reshape the balance of power between the two nations during the Cold War?

A live recording of the Asia Rising podcast to mark the publication of Dr Samuel Bashfield's new book, 'The British Indian Ocean Territory'.