What this lesson teaches
I can judge how Singapore responded to the Cold War in Southeast Asia, and why.
Syllabus 8838, Theme III, Learning Outcomes. evaluate Singapore's responses to the development of the Cold War in Southeast Asia
Make a guess
Singapore backed the USA in Vietnam, yet traded with the USSR and China. What do you think best explains its foreign policy?
- Anti-communism, treating communist states as enemies to be opposed.
- Loyalty to Britain, its former colonial ruler.
- Realism: it followed its national interest, whoever the partner was.
Show the answer
Realism: it followed its national interest, whoever the partner was.
When anti-communism and interest pulled apart, Singapore chose interest, such as trade with communist states.
Singapore was anti-communist, but realism explains its foreign policy better: whenever anti-communism and national interest pulled apart, it followed its interest.
Essay questions often ask how far Singapore's foreign policy was "anti-communist in nature". First define the two ideas. Anti-communism means treating communism and communist states as enemies to be opposed. Realism means acting for the state's survival, security and wealth, whoever the partner is. To judge, test each policy with one question: did Singapore treat communist states as enemies, or deal with them when that paid?
There is a real case for anti-communism. Singapore's government had defeated a communist challenge at home. Lee Kuan Yew backed the American war in Vietnam. Singapore led opposition to Vietnam's occupation of Cambodia. In 1980 it boycotted the Moscow Olympics and closed its dry docks to the Soviet navy. It also delayed ties with China until 1990, partly because China backed communist parties in the region.
The case for realism is stronger. In April 1966 Singapore signed a trade agreement with the USSR, and it opened diplomatic ties in 1968. It joined the Non-Aligned Movement in 1970. Rajaratnam told Zhou Enlai in 1975 that Singapore would deal with China on national interest. In December 1979, the same year it condemned Soviet-backed Vietnam, it signed a trade agreement with communist China.
The sharpest test is Cambodia. In 1982 Singapore helped build a coalition that included the Khmer Rouge, a communist movement that had killed huge numbers of Cambodians. A purely anti-communist state would not have done that. Singapore's target was not communism. It was the precedent of a stronger state invading a small one, which threatened Singapore's own survival.
So the best judgement is that Singapore's foreign policy was mainly realist. Its anti-communism was real, but it shows most where communist power and Singapore's interest pointed the same way: the threat of subversion at home, and the invasion of small states. Where they pulled apart, as with trade with Moscow and Beijing or the coalition with the Khmer Rouge, interest won.
- Anti-communism
- Treating communism and communist states as enemies to be opposed.
- Realism
- Acting for survival, security and wealth, whoever the partner is.
- The test
- When ideology and interest pulled apart, Singapore followed its interest.
Real examples to use
Trading with both communist powers
Trade agreement with the USSR in April 1966 and diplomatic ties in 1968; trade agreement with China on 29 December 1979.
Two policies in one year, 1979
Singapore condemned Soviet-backed Vietnam in Cambodia and signed a trade agreement with communist China in the same year.
Coalition with the Khmer Rouge, 1982
Singapore helped form the Coalition Government of Democratic Kampuchea, including the communist Khmer Rouge, to deny Vietnam's invasion any reward.
Worked example: Planning the essay: How far was Singapore's foreign policy anti-communist in nature?
A 30-mark JC essay. Define the terms, argue both sides with dated evidence, then weigh them with a criterion.
- Introduction: define anti-communism and realism, and state the stance that the policy was mainly realist.
- Argument 1 (anti-communist): support for the US in Vietnam; the 1980 Olympics boycott and closing the dry docks to the Soviet navy.
- Argument 2 (realist): the 1966 trade agreement and 1968 ties with the USSR; non-alignment from 1970; the December 1979 trade agreement with China.
- Argument 3 (realist, the decisive test): backing a coalition with the communist Khmer Rouge in 1982 to stop Vietnam's invasion paying off.
- Criterion: when ideology and interest pulled apart, which won?
- Conclusion: interest won each time, so the policy was realist, with anti-communism strongest where it matched survival.
Watch out for this
Singapore backed the USA in Vietnam and opposed Vietnam in Cambodia, so its foreign policy was anti-communist in nature.
Those actions fit both views. The test is what Singapore did when ideology and interest clashed: it traded with the USSR and China and backed a coalition with the communist Khmer Rouge, because survival came first.
Check your understanding
Which action best shows that realism, not anti-communism, drove Singapore's foreign policy?
- Boycotting the 1980 Moscow Olympics after the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan
- Supporting the American war in Vietnam as time for the region to grow
- Signing a trade agreement with communist China in December 1979
Show the answer
Signing a trade agreement with communist China in December 1979
Right. Singapore dealt with a communist power because trade served its national interest.