The United States however, “viewed SEATO as essential to its global Cold War policy of containment, and it provided a motive for United States involvement in Vietnam (https://history.state.gov/milestones/1953-1960/seato).” By adding “south Vietnam” to the SEATO organization, who’s purpose was the containment of communism, the United States was able to stave off the reunion of North and South Vietnam and gain a legitimate reason to “protect” South Vietnam from the communist north (). Due to this “alternative motive” being employed by the united states, many nations began to leave SEATO as early as the early 70’s and it was formally disbanded in 1977 following the end of the Vietnam war (). Speaking of, the fall of South Vietnam was the ultimate failure of cold war containment