Fomicheva Elena

Thailand in the World War II and the role of the Soviet Union

ЮГО-ВОСТОЧНАЯ АЗИЯ: АКТУАЛЬНЫЕ ПРОБЛЕМЫ РАЗВИТИЯ, 2015, №27, 143-167

 
Annotation: The paper gives the detailed study of the Thai foreign policy on the wide background of the situation in East Asia before the war and in the cause of it. Thailand as the only independent country in South-East Asia found itself in a trying situation and attempted to secure the country with the policy of maneuvering between the great powers. Because of the split in the national elite with one part of it, advocating close ties with Japan and the other seeking cooperation with the allied powers the country’s foreign policy had been inconsistent. Under these circumstanced of special interest is the Thai eagerness to establish diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union which the author proves putting forward some documents from the Foreign Policy of the Russian Federation Archives underlining the significance of the USSR support in Thai postwar attempts to build up its foreign policy.

Keywords: SOUTH-EAST ASIA, WORLD WAR II, THAILAND, FOREIGN POLICY, THE SOVIET UNION, DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS, SERI THAI MOVEMENT