SEATO Failure

Words: 456
Pages: 2

Although the United States is generally credited as the winner of the Cold War, many United States Cold War policies were ineffective in reaching their intended goals. The disbandment of SEATO and the fall of South Vietnam are examples of failed United States containment policies. Failures that diminished the perceived effectiveness of United States Cold War policies. SEATO stood for the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization that served to “stem the tide of communism in Asia ().” It was originally formed in 1954 by United States secretary of state John Foster Dulles as part of American containment policy. SEATO included several nations, Pakistan, France, Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Thailand, and the United States. In addition, the United States added “south Vietnam” to the list of participating nations ().” Different nations joined the SEATO organization for different reasons, ranging from wanting to differ the spread of communism to military …show more content…
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