SEATO
Dwight Eisenhower was
the 34th American President who served in office from January 20, 1953 to January 20, 1961. One of the important events during his presidency was the
establishment of SEATO, the Southeast Asia Treaty
Organization.
SEATO Facts
for kids
The following fact
sheet contains interesting information, history and
facts on SEATO for kids.
SEATO
Facts for kids
SEATO
Facts - 1:
SEATO stands for the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization
and was formed at Bangkok, Thailand. on September 8,
1954.
SEATO
Facts -
2:
SEATO consisted of the United States, France, the United
Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Pakistan (including
East Pakistan, now Bangladesh), Thailand and the
Philippines.
SEATO
Facts - 3:
Thailand and the Philippines were the only countries in
the organization that located inside Southeast Asia. Both Thailand
and the Philippines already shared close ties with the United
States.
SEATO
Facts - 4: Australia and New Zealand viewed
SEATO as a more powerful collective defense organization
than the existing ANZUS Pact, the Pacific Security
Treaty, that had been signed by Australia, New Zealand,
and the United States on September 1, 1951
SEATO
Facts - 5: The treaty, also
known as the Manila Pact, became operative in February
1955 binding the signatories to mutual aid to resist
military attack or subversion by Communist forces. An
armed attack on one signatory was interpreted as a
danger to all of the countries.
SEATO
Facts - 6:
The organization was established during the Cold War and
was intended to be a Southeast Asian version of the
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
operating in Europe, and expand the concept of anti-communist
collective defense into Asia.
SEATO
Facts - 7: The United States saw the
establishment of SEATO as essential to its foreign policy and its
Cold War Containment Policy in
Southeast Asia.
SEATO
Facts - 8: The
Korean War
(June 25, 1950 - July 27, 1953) had shown that China was
willing to provide armed support for other communist
regimes
SEATO
Facts - 9: In April 1954 the Geneva Accords were designed to
secure peace in Vietnam and organize an interim government in
Vietnam to lead to Vietnam’s transition to independence. The
intentions of the Geneva Accords failed and the war between
communist-backed North Vietnam and anti-communist South Vietnam
followed.
SEATO
Facts - 10: President Dwight
D. Eisenhower's Secretary of State John Foster Dulles is
considered to be the main force behind the creation of
SEATO. Dulles advocated its creation following the
French military defeat at Dien Bien Phu in northern
Vietnam in April 1954 when North Vietnam became a
communist regime.
Continued...
SEATO
Facts for kids
Facts
about the SEATO for kids
The following fact
sheet continues with facts about SEATO.
SEATO
Facts for kids
SEATO
Facts -
11: By 1954 the
situation in South-East Asia was looking increasingly
dangerous and there was an overwhelming fear of the
further spread of communism. The
Domino Theory speculated
that if one region came under communism, other countries
would follow.
SEATO
Facts -
12: The mutual defense
pact was specifically aimed at containing the spread of
Communism by the People's Republic of China and the
Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam). The
communists were determined to see the reunification of
the two countries of North Vietnam and South Vietnam
under Communism.
SEATO
Facts - 13: The main significance of SEATO was that it
formalized the U.S. commitment to Southeast Asia.
SEATO
Facts - 14: The
Vietnam War started on November 1, 1955. The United States
provided the South Vietnam government with considerable financial
aid and economic support, although the first US combat troops were
not sent to Vietnam until March 1965. US troops eventually left
Vietnam in August 1973.
SEATO
Facts - 15: The organization
was headquartered in Bangkok from September 1957 to 1
January 1958 and its first Secretary General was Pote
Sarasin, a diplomat and politician who served as Prime
Minister of Thailand
SEATO
Facts - 16: SEATO relied on the military forces
of member nations rather than commanding its own
standing forces. The strength of the alliance was tested
by the conflicts in Vietnam and Laos.
SEATO
Facts - 17: Unlike the NATO
alliance, SEATO had no joint commands with standing
forces. The alliance began to fall apart as Great
Britain refused active military cooperation in the
Vietnam conflict. Another European member, France,
withdrew from military cooperation in SEATO in 1967.
SEATO
Facts - 18: The Association of
Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) was formed on 8 August
1967 by Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore,
and Thailand. Its aims were for regional militarization
and adhered to the concept of 'neutralizing' the
region and drwaing away from involvement with the big
powers.
SEATO
Facts - 19: The alliance was
undermined still further as Pakistan drew closer to
communist China and the United States undertook to
provide aid to India.
SEATO
Facts - 20: Pakistan
completely withdrew from SEATO after the
Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971 and other countries
lost interest
SEATO
Facts -
21: At a meeting in
New York in September 1975 it was agreed to bring an end
to the organization. SEATO was formally dissolved on
June 30, 1977
SEATO
Facts -
22: Although the
organization was dissolved, the treaty (Manila Pact)
remains in effect and can be invoked at any time
according to its terms.
SEATO
Facts for kids
SEATO - President Dwight Eisenhower Video
The article on the SEATO,
the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization, provides detailed facts and a summary of one of the important events during his presidential term in office. The following
Dwight Eisenhower video will
give you additional important facts and dates about the political events experienced by the 34th American President whose presidency spanned from January 20, 1953 to January 20, 1961.
SEATO -
Southeast Asia Treaty Organization
●
Facts about the SEATO for kids and schools
●
Summary of the SEATO in US history
●
The SEATO, a major
event in US history
●
Dwight Eisenhower from January 20, 1953 to January 20, 1961
●
Fast, fun facts about the SEATO,
Southeast Asia Treaty Organization
●
Foreign & Domestic
policies of President Dwight Eisenhower
● Dwight Eisenhower Presidency and
SEATO,
Southeast Asia Treaty Organization for schools,
homework, kids and children |