YIJC Singapore and the Cold War Lecture Notes

YISHUN INNOVA JUNIOR COLLEGE DEPARTMENT OF HUMANITIES - HISTORY UNIT H1 SOUTHEAST ASIAN HISTORY 8838/01 Done by Mr Christopher Loke and Mr Jasper Goh (2024). 85 Theme 3: The Cold War and Southeast Asia, 1945 – 1991 Topic 3: Singapore and the Cold War 1. Context of Singapore’s Foreign Policy during the Cold War 2. Singapore’s Foreign Policy and Responses to the 2nd Indochina War 3. Singapore’s Foreign Policy and Responses to the 3rd Indochina War

YISHUN INNOVA JUNIOR COLLEGE DEPARTMENT OF HUMANITIES - HISTORY UNIT H1 SOUTHEAST ASIAN HISTORY 8838/01 Done by Mr Christopher Loke and Mr Jasper Goh (2024). 86 1. Context of Singapore’s Foreign Policy during the Cold War 1 Despite the refusal to be openly identified as a US ally and occasionally criticising US policy in the region, Singapore was a consistent advocate for US military presence in the region during the Cold War, faithfully servicing US warships and providing training for Vietnamese officers during the Vietnam War. Academic Ang Cheng Guan Statements of principles and objectives propounded by the leaders of a country are generally very reassuring and infused with high moral purposes, but do not necessarily constitute the foreign policy of the country involved…. For practical purposes, the foreign policy of deed is a more reliable guide to the intentions of a country than its declared and invariably reassuring principles. Foreign Minister S Rajaratnam, Parliamentary Debates, 16 Dec 1965 PAP’s Coping with Insecurity and Vulnerability: International Law, Sanctity of Sovereignty, Multilateralism, Non Alignment & “Balance of Power” The practice of Singapore’s foreign policy, rooted in a culture of siege and insecurity dating from the traumatic and unanticipated 1965 Separation experience, may be described as a paradoxical combination of non- alignment and balance of power, with an emphasis on the latter, and fierce commitment to upholding the integrity of international law and principles, particularly the sanctity of state sovereignty. Singapore’s foreign policy pragmatically attempts to reconcile an avoidance of engagement in the big power quarrels, with persisting efforts to secure access to benign external countervailing power (such as the USA) in the national interest of capitalist Singapore in its geographical neighborhood, and to fully exploit multilateralism through international organizations. This mindset and practice was set into foundation by former leaders: PM Lee Kuan Yew, Foreign Minister Rajaratnam, and Defence Minister Goh Keng Swee. During the Cold War period of great power rivalry and the Sino-Soviet dispute, Singapore had shown that it is possible for minor countries to exercise a disproportionate influence within a multilateral context based on a willingness to shoulder more than its fair share of diplomatic burdens. During the 3rd Indochina War in particular, it was Singapore who played a key leading role at the United Nations on behalf of its regional partners within ASEAN in mobilizing voting support in the General Assembly against Vietnam. Even while espousing rhetoric on independence designed to secure international acceptance, Singapore reached out to engage benign cooperative external powers (such as the USA) to provide a countervailing security assurance for this capitalist open economy in a difficult geopolitical neighborhood. 1 https://www.buzzfeed.com/jasminepting/southeast-asia-flag-quiz Singapore’s responses to Cold War developments in Southeast Asia (1965-1991)

YISHUN INNOVA JUNIOR COLLEGE DEPARTMENT OF HUMANITIES - HISTORY UNIT H1 SOUTHEAST ASIAN HISTORY 8838/01 Done by Mr Christopher Loke and Mr Jasper Goh (2024). 87 Recap of Context Facing Singapore in 1965: All the non-Communist countries of SEA were embroiled in disputes of varying intensity with one another. Singapore had just been “separated” from Malaysia and Indonesia was pursuing a policy of “Konfrontasi” against Malaysia and Singapore. The Philippines claimed Sabah. Brunei with British help had suppressed an internal rebellion backed by Indonesia. There were also strong irredentist pressures on the borders between West Malaysia and Thailand, and between the Philippines and Indonesia. In these unpropitious circumstances, ASEAN was formed so that the non-Communist states in SEA could contain and manage their differences to meet the greater threat from the Communists. SG Former Prime Minister, Lee Kuan Yew DEVELOPMENT OF SG’s FOREIGN POLICY AFTER INDEPENDENCE: SURVIVAL & REALISM Sensitivity to Regional & Global Developments GEOGRAPHY - Being the smallest state and only island Republic in Southeast Asia, geography dominates the outlook of Singapore’s leaders. Singapore is a focal point and hub of east-west, north-south trade and air-sea communications - a gateway to both the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Because of its location it acquired the focal position as the crossroads of international shipping routes. - Added to its small size and strategic location, the foreign policy perceptions of the Republic’s leaders have been conditioned by its location between two large Malay neighbours: Malaysia to the north and Indonesia to the south. The proximity to these two states with divergent ethnic-religious-political orientations and which have not always been friendly have created complex security problems for the Republic. At the same time, geography has also allowed the Republic to play a predominant role in regional and global affairs out of proportion to its size as it gives it a freedom of action and choice in political, social and economic matters. DEMOGRAPHY - At independence, SG was the only state in SEA to have political power vested in the hands of the local Chinese. (Chi Hegemony) - Became a natural racial barrier in the region - Chinese in SEA have been the object of envy, persecution & even seen as a potential ‘fifth column’ - Demographic makeup of SG places constraints on the SG leadership and has invoked the need to be cautious in order to reduce concern in Malaysia & Indonesia that SG may become a satellite of PRC or even give hope to the Chinese minorities in the two states. - Racial tolerance in domestic politics is hence emphasized as this is seen to have widespread foreign policy implications.

YISHUN INNOVA JUNIOR COLLEGE DEPARTMENT OF HUMANITIES - HISTORY UNIT H1 SOUTHEAST ASIAN HISTORY 8838/01 Done by Mr Christopher Loke and Mr Jasper Goh (2024). 88 DEVELOPMENT OF SG’s FOREIGN POLICY AFTER INDEPENDENCE: SURVIVAL & REALISM Sensitivity to Regional & Global Developments ECONOMY - Foreign policy has been viewed as an important tool for the advancement of the country’s econ growth - SG’s econ development is drawn from the open international economic system which allows it to get past the absence of a hinterland, raw materials and large domestic market. - Limited size of the SG domestic economy and the dependence on foreign trade and investments have made SG exceptionally vulnerable to exogenous developments, which in turn place constraints on the country’s foreign policy in forcing it to be overly conscious of international developments. LEADERS’ MEMORY OF POLITICAL EXPERIENCE (Dangers of Communism) - Sense of political psychosis & siege which dominated the PAP leadership’s thinking (Malaysia Years / Confrontation / Barisan Socialis) - Fear of failure largely explains the cautious stance in its external relations - The PAP was also unable to forget about the bitter struggle against the Communists in Malaysia and Singapore EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT - Close political, economic, cultural and kinship ties have ensured that SG must always take particular notice of Malaysia in its foreign policy. TIME-LINE OF PAP / SG FOREIGN POLICY DIRECTIONS DURING COLD WAR 1965 – 1967 Publicly Non-Aligned 1967 – 1975 P