September 8, 1954 – U.S. Signs Manila Treaty Forming SEATO

On this day in history, the United States signed the “Manila Treaty” forming the Southeast Asia Treaty (SEATO), created to block further communist gains and to be a Southeast Asian version of NATO, in which the military forces of each member would be coordinated to provide for the collective defense of the members’ country.

SEATO’s flag

The treaty, while promulgated during the Eisenhower Administration, reflected the Truman Doctrine of creating anti-communist bilateral and collective defense treaties to create alliances that would contain communist powers. President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s Secretary of State John Foster Dulles (1953–1959) was considered to be the primary force behind the creation of SEATO.

SEATO is generally considered a failure in one sense because internal conflict and dispute hindered general use of the SEATO military; however, SEATO-funded agricultural, medical, and educational programs had longstanding benefits in Southeast Asia.

SEATO was dissolved on June 30, 1977 after many members lost interest and withdrew.