8 - America’s Strange Bedfellows in the International Arena

Summary

This chapter argues that US maritime policy was not limited to the construction of geostrategic space but also extended to the international political arena. The author analyses how the United Nations Conferences on the International Law of the Sea in 1958 and 1960, intended for legal discussion, became embroiled in the rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union. The chapter explores how the United States sought a legal basis for its maritime dominance at these conferences and how its hub-and-spoke allies in East Asia responded to these efforts. Despite the support of its allies, the United States faced challenges in obtaining their backing in confronting Soviet challenges to the international law of the seas, due to issues of local sovereignty and interest. The author also examines the reasons behind Washington’s decision to change its stance on the breadth of territorial waters and how its East Asian allies responded to this shift. Overall, the chapter provides insight into the complex dynamics of US maritime policy in East Asia and its impact on international relations.