Southeast Asia, 1960–1970

Abstract

In Europe, the United States had to handle existing and traditional neutrals like Sweden and Switzerland or, as in the case of Austria, it was faced with the question of neutralising a country that was domestically at peace. In Southeast Asia the situation was different. Most countries had only recently obtained their independence, traditional neutrals did not exist, and those aiming at neutralisation were domestically fragile or in a state of war. Furthermore, the concept of neutralism was on the rise and did much to confuse matters – as the United States was soon to discover.