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 Un