YIJC ASEAN Lecture Notes

YISHUN INNOVA JUNIOR COLLEGE DEPARTMENT OF HUMANITIES - HISTORY UNIT H1 SOUTHEAST ASIAN HISTORY 8838/01 Done by Mr Jasper Goh (2024). 55 Theme 3: The Cold War and Southeast Asia, 1945 – 1991 Topic 2: ASEAN and the Cold War The Second Indochina War (1959 - 1975) 1. Background – The Formation of ASEAN 2. ASEAN’s responses to Cold War developments in Southeast Asia 3. Factors shaping ASEAN’s responses to the development of the Cold War

YISHUN INNOVA JUNIOR COLLEGE DEPARTMENT OF HUMANITIES - HISTORY UNIT H1 SOUTHEAST ASIAN HISTORY 8838/01 Done by Mr Jasper Goh (2024). 56 1. Background – The Formation of ASEAN *While the H1 syllabus does not go in -depth into ASEAN’s formation, it is still necessary for us to at least have a brief understanding of how/why ASEAN was formed and what it stands for before we can go into analysing ASEAN’s responses to the Cold War in Southeast Asia. OVERVIEW I. The Concept of Regionalism II. Pre-ASEAN regional cooperation III. Why the need for ASEAN IV. Foundational years of ASEAN V. Features of ASEAN I. THE CONCEPT OF REGIONALISM I. The Concept of Regionalism ● It primarily refers to: o A group of states banding together o It is the …’behaviour of states to group themselves together or to be identified by an outsider to behave as such, for the common good.’ ● It is a mid-way construct o It is in between the forces of Nationalism and Universalism. o It recognizes the limitations of the State (and nationalist forces) o It believes that the Universal set-up is too distant and ideal to achieve ● 2 types of regionalism o Informal regionalism ▪ Driven by non-state actors e.g. business networks, subregional economic cooperation such as the Singapore-Johore-Riau island growth triangle o Formal regionalism ▪ Driven by regional groupings like ASEAN

YISHUN INNOVA JUNIOR COLLEGE DEPARTMENT OF HUMANITIES - HISTORY UNIT H1 SOUTHEAST ASIAN HISTORY 8838/01 Done by Mr Jasper Goh (2024). 57 II. PRE-ASEAN REGIONAL COOPERATION Out of the Region Grouping In the Region Grouping (A) Asian initiated cooperation The Asian Relations Conference in New Delhi (1947) ● Representatives of 18 Asian and African countries met in New Delhi in 1947. ● Positive: o First ever conference held of this nature o Agreed on the need for greater cooperation ● Limitations: o Only 3 SEA states were invited (Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam); the rest were from other Asian countries o Smaller nations felt threatened by the presence of China and India Asian and Pacific Council (ASPAC, Jun 1966) o Was initiated by the Korean government to foster cooperation and solidarity among the free Asian and Pacific countries against communist aggression and infiltration and to develop their national economies. It was to form a ‘second front’ for US military ac tion in Vietnam (B) Involved western powers Southeast Asia Treaty Organisation (SEATO, Sep 1954) (A) SEAsian country initiated cooperation Asia-Pacific Union (4 July 1949) ● Positive: o First attempt by the Philippines to create an organization for cooperation among states in Asia. ● Limitations: o Wanted to create an Asian Pact: Took anti-communist stance and had in mind preservation of state sovereignty in Asia and the Pacific. But most Asian states didn’t want to be involved in the Cold War. Association of Southeast Asia (ASA, July 1961) ● Was established in Bangkok. The idea was mooted by the Philippines and Malaya. ● Positive: o Members was entirely SEAsian countries o Had minimum institutional structure and obligations; pledged economic and cultural cooperation and sought to increase consultation through regular exchanges. This positive trait was later carried on by ASEAN, which was to form the basis of the ASEAN way. ● Limitations: o Limited membership – only covered Malaya, Philippines and Thailand

YISHUN INNOVA JUNIOR COLLEGE DEPARTMENT OF HUMANITIES - HISTORY UNIT H1 SOUTHEAST ASIAN HISTORY 8838/01 Done by Mr Jasper Goh (2024). 58 ● Was conceived as a military organization similar to NATO. ● Established by 8 countries: 3 Asian – Philippines, Thailand, Pakistan; 5 Western – US, Britain, France, Australia, New Zealand ● Limitations: o Only 2 members were actually located in SEA! o Was more of a paper tiger i.e. ineffective; ended in 1977 o More of an alliance than a regional bloc – Was deemed as pro -West (Cold War); 2 out of 3 members belong to SEATO o Had narrow domestic concerns. E.g. Malaya just ended its 12 -year anti - communist ‘Emergency’; Philippines had suppressed the Huks; Thailand was still facing insurgency problem. o Had disputes between Philippines and Malaya over North Borneo (Sabah): The Philippines had claimed on British North Borneo (Sabah) in 1962, but it became part of Malaysia together with Sarawak and Singapore when Malaya became independent in 1963. This paralysed ASA cooperation. o ASA was dissolved in the same month after ASEAN was formed MAPHILINDO (Aug 1963) ● Philippines initiated the formation of a Greater Malayan Confederation of States called MAPHILINDO in 1962, and was proclaimed in Aug 1963 during the Manila Accords (see inter-state tension chapters for more info) ● Was to include Malaysia, Indonesia and Philippines. ● Positive: o Membership was entirely SEAsian countries o Was the first regional organization that Indonesia agreed to join ● Limitations: o Failed just a month later when the Federation of Malaya was created. Philippines and Indonesia refused to recognized Malaysia: the former

YISHUN INNOVA JUNIOR COLLEGE DEPARTMENT OF HUMANITIES - HISTORY UNIT H1 SOUTHEAST ASIAN HISTORY 8838/01 Done by Mr Jasper Goh (2024). 59 because of the Sabah dispute; the latter viewed it as a British creation and thus embarked on a policy of Konfrontasi till 1966 Why did the ‘out of the region groupings’ failed? ● They were often initiated by outside powers ● They served the interest of external actors Why did the ‘in the region groupings’ fail? ● They were exclusive in character, and narrowly based ● They were also victims of internal and external conflicts

YISHUN INNOVA JUNIOR COLLEGE DEPARTMENT OF HUMANITIES - HISTORY UNIT H1 SOUTHEAST ASIAN HISTORY 8838/01 Done by Mr Jasper Goh (2024). 60 III. WHY THE NEED FOR ASEAN 1. Economic Reasons for the formation of ASEAN: Common reasons Singapore Malaysia Philippines Thailand Indonesia -There was a common desire to rid their country from the communist threat by promoting economic growth to reduce its attractiveness. (China had been exporting revolution in the area, through communist groups such as that in the 5 founding nations.) Barisan Socialis controlled 2/3 of organized labour in early 1960s and had mobilized them to protest merger with Malaysia. Malaya was busy fighting communists during the Malayan Emergency (1948 to 1960). The Hukbalahaps (military arm of the Communist Party of the Philippines (Partido Komunista ng Pilipinas <PKP>), which staged an armed conflict in Luzon during the 1950s that almost led to the collapse of the central government. The Communist party of Thailand (CPT) was a large threat in the nation as it expanded to form the People’s Liberation Army in 1969 and was obtaining support from China and later North Vietnam. Conflict between the Indonesian military and the Indonesian Communist Party in late 1965 with the transition to Suharto's "New Order" that was staunchly anti- communist in contrast to previous president, Sukarno's communist aligned administration.

YISHUN INNOVA JUNIOR COLLEGE DEPARTMENT OF HUMANITIES - HISTORY UNIT H1 SOUTHEAST ASIAN HISTORY 8838/01 Done by Mr Jasper Goh (2024). 61 Common reasons Singapore Malaysia