Introduction

The Cold War drama in Asia was a significant aspect of the history of the post-1945 world. Understanding what actually happened can only help to grasp the character of the processes which made the world such a dangerous place for so many over a long period of time. Much of what is considered the history of the Cold War in Asia in the 1950s is contrafactual. This account is the result of an attempt to correct some of the more glaring discrepancies. The role of the US in the crises and confrontations is relatively well-documented; that of its allies and client-states, far less so. The Prime Minister of a country whose leaders had for decades vociferously criticised the US, and especially the Central Intelligence Agency, for a variety of sins, revealing that his predecessors in office themselves had been closely involved in such activities.