Us-singapore Relations, 1965-1975: Strategic Non-alignment In The Cold War Strategic Non-alignment In The Cold War

"At the height of the Cold War in Southeast Asia, the foreign relations between the United States and Singapore demonstrated the interplay between America's strategy of containment and Singapore's efforts at a non-aligned foreign policy. But there is a deeper story. American involvement in the Vietnam War not only held back the spread of communism in Southeast Asia, but also catalysed economic and strategic cooperation between the United States and Singapore. The author argues that Singapore might not have achieved its success so rapidly without the support of the US. As the war in Vietnam raged on, Singapore became a critical refueling point, also providing ship and aircraft repair for the US military. Commercial and strategic support from the United States lifted Singapore out of the economic doom predicted for the city-state after secession from Malaysia, cessation of Indonesian trade during Konfrontasi and Britain's military withdrawal. By considering the importance of the US's role in Singapore's nation-building, this book provides an important supplement to the well-trodden narrative that attributes Singapore's success to good governance."--Back cover During the Vietnam War, the newly-independent Singapore struck the position of being non-aligned. It maintained an anti-communist stance while, at least initially, criticizing the United States intervention into Vietnam. Yet Singapore might not have achieved its post-colonial success so rapidly without the support of the United States. As the war in Vietnam raged on, Singapore became a critical refueling point, also providing ship and aircraft repair for the US military. Commercial and strategic support from the United States lifted Singapore out of the economic doom predicted for the city-state after secession from Malaysia. Without this strategic and economic assistance, Singapores history might have been different. By considering the importance of the role of the United States in Singapores nation-building, this book provides an important supplement to the well-trodden narrative that attributes Singapores success solely to good governance. 01a Intro_US-S’poreRelationsIT-4P 21 Half title page 1 Full title page 3 Copyright page 4 Contents 5 Acknowledgments 7 Abbreviations 9 Dramatis Personae 12 Introduction 21 Chapter 1 - American Containment and Singapore Survival 49 Chapter 2 - “Never the Americans” 81 Chapter 3 - United States-Singapore Entente 105 Chapter 4 - Resolving the British Withdrawal 135 Chapter 5 - Activating Singapore’s Economy 183 Chapter 6 - Catching the Cold 211 Chapter 7 - From Nixon to Ford 247 Conclusion 281 Sources and Bibliography 286 Index 295 American involvement in the Vietnam War not only held back the spread of communism in Southeast Asia, but also catalysed economic and strategic cooperation between the United States and Singapore. The author of this study argues that Singapore might not have achieved its success so rapidly without the support of the US.