Southeast Asia Treaty Organization
22
MENTIONS
5
EPISODES
2
PODCASTS
Search complete. 22 mentions across 5 episodes found for "Southeast Asia Treaty Organization".
Oct 17, 2026
Thomas777GUEST
Plus, they were geographically distant enough that even if America could base forces there in a frontal capacity, it wouldn't constitute a catastrophic threat or at least no greater a threat than, you know, surface warfare vessels in the South China Sea and what have you.
Thomas777GUEST
But the – as America took on the role of, you know, as per the Truman Doctrine of holding the line at the 17th parallel to preserve the status quo and, you know, getting commitments from the Republic of Korea as well as SEATO, superficial as that alliance proved to be in terms of its military capabilities and political will therein.
Thomas777GUEST
It had significance in terms of what was viewed as a legitimate application of force by America in a theater that theretofore had not been viewed as within its precedent of sphere of influence.
Thomas777GUEST
You know, this delicate minuet was something that Ho didn't really have to continue because by default you were in the Soviet camp if you were resisting the United States and you didn't need to really declare allegiance to commitments beyond that.
Thomas777GUEST
Um, and I don't want to have to like keep jumping back and saying, "Well, this is what this was." Um, people talk all the time about how Vietnam was like this grave kind of failure of collective security.
Thomas777GUEST
And why do they say that? Well, they say that because of SEATO, S-E-A-T-O.
Thomas777GUEST
Like, what was SEATO? SEATO was the Southeast Asian Treaty Organization.
Thomas777GUEST
And if you think it sounds a lot like NATO, you'd be right, because that's what, that's, that's what its whole notion was.
Thomas777GUEST
It was created by the Southeast Asia Collective Defense Treaty, also known as the Manila Pact, that was signed in September 1954 in, you guessed it, Manila, the Philippines.
Thomas777GUEST
Um, now who, who was the driving force behind SEATO? It was, uh, Vice President Nixon, who upon returning from Asia in 1953 said, "Look, we need some kind of collective security arrangement in Asia that, uh, you know, tantamount to NATO." Um, the, there was far more confidential conflict dyads in Asia.
Thomas777GUEST
Um, the strategic landscape was a lot more fluid, but, uh, and Nixon realized that.
Thomas777GUEST
But at the same time, he said that, you know, one of the reasons it's impossible to, uh, you know, develop a meaningful, uh, kind of strategic posture moving forward is because it's uncertain like what any, what if anything, you know, anyone's willing to commit and what, what they're willing to stand on as, you know, essential interests.
Thomas777GUEST
I got to come back to the point again and again, 'cause people act like Vietnam's this weird anomaly or this, like, unique and remarkable evil.
Thomas777GUEST
You know, like, we talked about s- the reason I raise the issue of SEATO, you know, S-E-A-T-O, Southeast Asia Treaty Organization, the 1954 dual accords of Korea and Indochina, and the Truman Doctrine, like, this was entirely congruent with US policy after, after the Second World War.
Thomas777GUEST
Like, the cost of waging the Second World War, among other things, was when these primitive as hell third-world nations, which in those days truly were primitive, like people living in huts, when they come under assault by Ivan, you go defend them, and your kids go defend them, and your tax dollars go defend them, and you lose those things.
Thomas777GUEST
I mean, that, this was very well understood, you know? Um, that was the Cold War.
ThomasGUEST
Um, and I don't wanna have to like keep jumping back and saying, "Well, this is what this was." Um- People talk all the time about how Vietnam was like this grave kind of failure of collective security.
ThomasGUEST
And why do they say that? Well, they say that because of SEATO, S-E-A-T-O.
ThomasGUEST
Like, what was SEATO? SEATO was the Southeast Asian Treaty Organization.
ThomasGUEST
And if you think it sounds a lot like NATO, you'd be right, because that's what its whole notion was.
ThomasGUEST
It was created by the Southeast Asia Collective Defense Treaty, also known as the Manila Pact, that was signed in September 1954 in, you guessed it, Manila, the Philippines.
ThomasGUEST
Now, who was the driving force behind SEATO? It was Vice President Nixon, who upon returning from Asia in 1953 said, look, we need some kind of collective security arrangement in Asia that, you know, tantamount to NATO.
ThomasGUEST
There was far more confidential conflict dyads in Asia.
ThomasGUEST
The strategic landscape was a lot more fluid.
ThomasGUEST
I gotta come back to the point again and again, 'cause people act like Vietnam's this weird anomaly or this, like, unique and remarkable evil.
ThomasGUEST
You know, like we talked about s- the reason I raise the issue of SEATO, you know, S-E-A-T-O, Southeast Asia Treaty Organization, the 1954 dual accords of Korea and Indochina and the Truman Doctrine, like, this was entirely congruent with US policy after, after the Second World War.
ThomasGUEST
Like, the cost of waging the Second World War, among other things, was when these primitive as hell third-world nations, which in those days truly were primitive, like people living in huts, when they come under assault by Ivan, you go defend them, and your kids go defend them, and your tax dollars go defend them, and you lose those things.
ThomasGUEST
I mean, that, this was very well understood.