The United States in the Asia-Pacific Since 1945

Military Review, Jan-Feb, 2005 by Lewis Bernstein

THE UNITED STATES IN THE ASIA-PACIFIC SINCE 1945, Roger Buckley, Cambridge University Press, New York, 2002, 258 pages, $65.00.

The United States in the Asia-Pacific Since 1945 could have been an exercise in academic absurdity and cruelty, but instead enlightens and educates. In seven chronologically organized chapters, Roger Buckley outlines U.S. policy in East and Southeast Asia since 1945 when Japan surrendered.

In 1945, Asia was defined by colonial powers trying to reassert dominion over their colonies with nationalist movements in armed struggle with them, and a prostrate Japan--the object of Soviet and U.S. interest. The United States was the paramount power, but initial U.S. actions were hesitant. This apparent irresolution was caused by the resolve to support anticommunist forces in Europe and Asia while also trying to keep the Cold War from spreading to the region. Although there were differences between European and Asian policies, they were matters of degree, not substance.

The Korean War chapter emphasizes Soviet and U.S. confusion over Korea and the complexity of its internal politics and rivalries. The effects of the war included a peace treaty with Japan, increased Japanese economic growth, a clarification of U.S. interests in China and Taiwan, and a new alliance, the Southeast Asian Treaty Organization (SEATO).

In the postwar period (1953-1960), the gravity of international rivalry shifted to Southeast Asia. Buckley briefly outlines the events leading up to the 1954 Geneva Conference and its results for Indochina; British interests in Malaya; the Taiwan Straits Crises; and the ways they affected U.S. policy. The chapter on the Vietnam War is a straightforward summary of events, dealing with the major interpretive issues surrounding U.S. commitments, the conduct of the war, and eventual U.S. withdrawal. He concludes that "the result of the Vietnam disaster ... was a harvest of rancor."

Buckley follows with a description of the consequences of the Vietnam War, events that occurred during the last part of the Cold War, and the rise and relative decline of Southeast Asia as an economic power. He relates how the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) became an organization that stresses economic cooperation and mutual benefit.

The chapter on the region since the end of the Cold War emphasizes U.S. policy continuity, and although the Soviet Union collapsed, none of Asia's Communist states show signs of disappearing. In fact, China has become a regional economic power.

Buckley outlines alternatives for future U.S. policy, including power and influence, to encourage a greater sense of cooperation among allies. He believes Japan remains an American dependency because of its own problematic relationships with the region as well as its public disinterest in foreign affairs. He points out that the era that began with the surrender in Tokyo Bay is far from over; the events since 1945 show a U.S. determination to remain committed in the region. Buckley's conclusion reflects his optimism about the U.S. presence in Asia. U.S. influence is the result of its open society rather than merely being a factor of economic and military power.

Asians might think some of Buckley's judgments of U.S. policies are too complimentary, while many Americans might find his evaluations overly critical, but that is one of the work's benefits; it is written by an outsider. I recommend this book to all who wish to quickly gain a basic understanding of how U.S. policies affect the Asia-Pacific region.

Lewis Bernstein, Ph.D.,

Huntsville, Alabama