The great powers and Southeast Asia

In almost no sense is the origin of World War II to be found among the peoples of Southeast Asia. Although they had made and were making attempts to determine their fate, they yet remained, with the exception of Thailand, within a colonial framework. The framework had been established in the period of British primacy but had not collapsed with its passing. The Americans had in a sense recruited themselves to the ranks of colonial rulers; they did not offer their colleagues a direct challenge but instead a rather unconvincing example. The Japanese again avoided a direct challenge.

For most of their post-Meiji history the Japanese had been expansionist, but they had also been cautious. They were aware that they had more than one potential opponent, not only the Russians but also the maritime powers. In general they sought to work with the latter, which was indicated both by the Anglo-Japanese alliance and by the Washington treaties that replaced it. That approach had more than one effect. Its expediency tended to align them, so far as the Chinese and the Koreans were concerned, with other imperialist powers, and their pan-Asian idealism went for little. The approach also tended to encourage Western powers to depreciate their determination and their prowess. Their major struggle had been with the Russians. It did not seem likely that they would stand up to the maritime powers, particularly if Britain and the US demonstrably stood together.