PEAP ： L8

The Role of USin the Cold War Period

Shunji Cui Department of Political Science

School of Public Affairs Zhejiang University

Email: ssjcui@zju.edu.cn

Background and Questions Paradoxes of East Asia

The impact and continuing influence of the US – mean: traditional security – interstate wars, domestic conflicts – should be the main concern in the region;

But, since the end of Vietnam war, no major wars and conflicts occurred in the region

Some states, Japan, even downplaying state function of military security prefer comprehensive security

Qs: Physically the US is not located in Asia, but what

makes the US so powerful that we need to consider it in the context of a discussion about East Asia?

How has its influence been manifested in the region? What is the nature of US hegemony?

East Asia: In the CW Period

Divided into 2 opposing camps -- Communist v. Capitalist No Contact between the two camps

The Communist camp: Soviet style of centrally planed economy

The Capitalist Camp The Hub and Spoke system No multilateralism in East Asia

No meaningful regional International Society existed in EA.

US Allies in Asia

America has deepened its bilateral alliances with:

Japan, South Korea, Australia, Thailand and the Philippines

Taiwan de facto ally. It maintains a close security relationship

with Singapore, a long-standing partnership with Malaysia, and is re-forging ties with Indonesia.

Pacific Political Map

US Troops & Allies:SK: 28,500Japan: 30,000TaiwanPhilippinesThailandIndonesiaSingaporeMalaysia

RussiaChinaNorth KoreaLaosVietnamCambodia

The Cold War and US Involvement of Asia

From ‘isolationist’ to hegemonic leadership Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor CCP’s triumphant over KMT in the Chinese civil

war PRC 1949- The Korean War (1950-53) The Truman Doctrine and Communist

Containment The Yoshida Doctrine The San Francisco System and Japan’s

Security Policy

The Nature of US Hegemony

Hegemony – in general, refers to the dominance of an individual country at a particular historical moment.

Realists – emphasizes the possession and pursuit of material

power, The likely conflict that this implies (hegemonic v.

rising power) Liberals – Not only for military domination, but also in creating

specific international economic order. In the context of Cold War, and ideological competition.

US Hegemony: Ideology v. Interests

Ideological considerations Post-war European reconstruction, Marshall

Aids Supporting Asian allies, Japan, SK, T,,,. Communist containment

Interests, and security considerations Tolerance of un-democratic, authoritarian

dictatorships, eg, SK, Taiwan.

The US Domination

Security Through alliance system Military presence

Economy Open US market Asymmetric interactions

US Hegemony in Comparison:in Europe and in Asia Multilateralism v Bilateralism Identity and Interests Why is there no NATO in Asia? Hemmer and Katzenstein (2002):

US-Europeans equal partners US-Asian superior v. inferior relations Identity of Regional Actors Ideational/ideological differences between

the US and Asians

Implications for Regional Developments: I1. Heavily depending on outside power

== “overlay” situation2. History Issues remain as not well dealt3. No emerging regional collective

identity4. As an International Society == weak

Implications for Regional Developments: IIRegionalism and multilateralism

in East Asia in 1990sSecurity Considerations, esp. the

continuing US role in AsiaEconomic ConsiderationLeadership ProblemSovereignty issuesRise of China