In The War after the War, Chandra discusses the complex, ancient relations between Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. While it is widely recognised that the Fall of Saigon occurred during 1975, there has been little understanding or focus on other Indochina related matters that were happening as well. Along with the major event of the fall of Saigon which gave the Communists great power, countries like Cambodia was facing issues of their own. For example, a few weeks before the fall of Saigon took place, Phnom Penh fell to the Khmer Rouge. These two events together shows the political complications both countries had and that matters were actually quite similar between the countries that were a part of the ASEAN community. As discussed about by Chandra, countries like Cambodia and Vietnam fell to communism partly due to the two countries’ internal struggles but there were traces of external struggles as well. There were imbalances and disagreements regarding the leadership and governmental regime, but what also existed was a desire to promote national security for each of their countries. Both Vietnam and Cambodia wanted to show the US its power and strength and this came in the form of Communism over the national state. Building off of this idea and relating it to contemporary issues, perhaps other countries like Korea and China might be sending to the US a similar message too. Along with political leadership that exists in both of these two countries, there has been an additional focus on that of their economies as well. In comparing Korea and China’s economy to the US’s, ones in China have been thriving, which has been somewhat considered a threat for the US. Generalising this common idea of Asian countries feeling inferior to the US and them developing feelings of having to prove to the US that they are not otherwise also ties in with how Southeast Asian Americans feel about where they stand in the US. For example, this point can be understood through the constant SEA efforts in holding political offices. The main reason for this is they feel a lack of representation in the US and a need to intervene with the political system that is in place in order to advocate for themselves. While we currently live in a post racial society where things are suppose to be fair and equal, it really isn’t. Racism may not be explicit as it once was but is still in place in the form of implicit racism, which could be compared to the analogy of ‘war after war.’ From historically to presently, some asian countries have experienced adversities with the US and could still be seen as still experiencing similar adversities.
Question: Could Asian countries one day dominate the US and make the US feel inferior to them to the point where they have to prove their powers and strengths in a way that Vietnam and Cambodia did to the US?
Work Cited:
Chanda, Nayan. "Introduction." N.p.: n.p., n.d. N. pag. The War after the War. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich Publishers. Web. 16 Feb. 2017. <https://canvas.ucdavis.edu/courses/72043/files/folder/Weekly%20Readings/Week%207%20Readings?preview=806592>.
Chanda, Nayan. "Chapter 1: Old Enemies, New War." N.p.: n.p., n.d. N. pag. The War after the War. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich Publishers. Web. 16 Feb. 2017. <https://canvas.ucdavis.edu/courses/72043/files/folder/Weekly%20Readings/Week%207%20Readings?preview=806592>.
Chanda, Nayan. "Chapter 4: A Glimpse into the History." N.p.: n.p., n.d. N. pag. The War after the War. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich Publishers. Web. 16 Feb. 2017. <https://canvas.ucdavis.edu/courses/72043/files/folder/Weekly%20Readings/Week%207%20Readings?preview=806592>.
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