FOREIGN OFFICE FILES: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Series Two: Vietnam, 1959-1975
(Public Record Office Classes FO 371 and FCO 15: South East Asia Department)

Part 4: SEATO, S E Asia General and Thailand, 1959-1963: Complete files on the Vietnam Conflict
(PRO Class FO 371/143721-143725, 143727-143747, 143769-143774, 143782, 144293, 144296-144297, 150381, 152136-152181, 152639-152642, 152644, 152646-152647, 152671, 158379-158380, 159701-159702, 159712-159713, 159715, 159722, 159728-159747, 159756-159758, 160069-160076, 160079-160080, 160083, 164871, 166353-166355, 166359-166360, 166363, 166616-166619, 166622, 166629-166634, 166644-166663, 169678-169679, 169681, 169684, 169686, 169689, 169728-169729, 170016-170020, 170022, 170031-170032, 170038, 170042-170056 and 170634)

SEATO (the South East Asia Treaty Organisation) was created as a defensive alliance to oppose further communist gains in South East Asia. These files deal with the major events and issues occurring in South East Asia during the period 1959 to 1963.

The documents provide good source material to form an overview of British, American and French policy in terms of the perceived communist threat to different regions throughout Asia, from Pakistan and Ceylon, to Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand, and also the Philippines and Indonesia.

• There is much material on communist infiltration and insurgency, the training of forces for jungle warfare, the conflict in Vietnam and Laos, briefs and discussion papers for the UK delegation, tripartite discussions with the French, Anglo-American policy differences, as well as the perspectives of Australian and New Zealand representatives.
• A significant section of the documents cover SEATO forces in Thailand, military planning and SEATO amphibious exercises.

This project allows researchers to look at the successes and failures of SEATO during these complex and tumultuous years.