A Study Of U.S.Aid To Thailand In Kennedy-Johnson Administration

To contain the further spread of communism in Asia,the U.S.A.actively sought and cultivated ally who was anti-communist,and carried on large-scale foreign aid in the Southeast Asia after the formation of the Cold War in Asia.Thailand who was the center of Southeast Asia actively allied with the USA,which made America incorporated Thailand into its global strategy by providing military and economic aid.The assistance relationship entered a critical phase in Kennedy-Johnson Administration,when both economic and military aid scale upsurged.To explore this phenomenon,we will review the assistance relationship in the stage.This paper consists of six parts:The introduction defines the concept of foreign aid,analyses status quo of this study,and expounds study mentality and innovation.Chapter One traces the establishment of the assistance relationship between the USA and Thailand,and its early development.Which relating to the formation of the Cold War in Asia and the rise of the Southeast Asia's strategic role,America's interference and failure in the first Indochina War,early economic and technical assistance,early military aid and police assistance.The author thinks,early U.S.aid to Thailand was demarcated by the Geneva Conference.Before which the economic aid predominated,and after which the military aid predominated.The implementing of early aid lay the foundation for providing aid in Kennedy-Johnson Administration.Chapter Two discusses America's military aid to Thailand in Kennedy-Johnson Administration.Which relating to strengthening military facilities construction,America special forces service,police assistance,USIS program and social science research program.Data cited in this chapter illustrates that the scale of military aid remained stubbornly high in this period,which reflects the significance of military aid.The author thinks,it was affected by domestic insurgency threat and situation in Vietnam.Meanwhile,it was an important channel for America to maintain discourse power in Thailand and even in Southeast Asia.Chapter Three examines American economic assistance to Thailand in Kennedy-Johnson Administration.Which relating to traffic facilities construction,education and training,medical and health conditions' improvement,administrative assistance and the ARD and MDU which implemented in Northeast Thai.The author thinks,American economic assistance to Thailand during which period was demarcated by 1964.Prior to which investment was relatively gentle,while afterwards investment continues to increase with the escalation of the Vietnam War and the need of fighting rebellion.With the only exception of a slight increase in 1962 under the impact of the crisis in Laos.Chapter Four analyses the characteristics and historical influence of the U.S.aid to Thailand in Kennedy-Johnson Administration.To meet the need of Southeast Asia strategy,the U.S.aid to Thailand was based on military aid and aided by economic aid in 1960 s.Northeast Thai was a key area for aid.The fluctuation of economic and military aid was closely related to the American policy to Southeast Asia and the change of Thailand society.The scale of aid adjusted according to the Southeast Asia situation,which reflected the diversity of challenges facing America in Southeast Asia strategy.The author thinks,the aid to Thailand contained Communism's expanding in the Southeast Asia,which objectively helped the development of economic,military and culture in Thailand at that time.The peroration makes a further summary of the above.The author points out the profound impact of U.S.aid on the modernization process of Thailand.