Question

Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO) was formed in 1954. It provided assistance to less fortunate countries in the area and promised military support if needed. SEATO was an effort to stop the spread of Communism in Southeast Asia. What was the purpose of the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO)?

1) To provide economic aid to Southeast Asian countries
2) To promote cultural exchange between Southeast Asian countries
3) To prevent the spread of Communism in Southeast Asia
4) To establish a military alliance in Southeast Asia

Answer 1

SEATO was created to prevent the spread of Communism in Southeast Asia, as part of a collective defense during the Cold War.

Step-by-step explanation:

The Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO) was primarily formed to prevent the spread of Communism in Southeast Asia. In the context of the Cold War and the domino theory, the United States, along with Britain, France, Thailand, Pakistan, the Philippines, Australia, and New Zealand, established SEATO in 1954. The creation of SEATO was a strategic move within the geopolitical chess game of the Cold War, intended to provide a bulwark against potential Communist expansion after seeing China fall to communism and the active engagement of China in the Korean War. While SEATO did look to improve standards of living in the region, its foremost goal was to be a collective defense organization to counteract the influence and spread of communism in the region, similar to how NATO was created for collective security in Europe.