Deterrence & Diplomacy

How far is competing territory the reason for conflict between countries? Explain your Answer. [12] L1 Intro OPTIONAL L2 Describe GF Competing territory is one reason for conflict between countries. Besides this, other reasons are conflict over scarce resources and conflict over ideological differences. Competing territory is an important cause. An example is the conflict over border between China and India in 1947. When India gained independence from Britian, it inherited the frontier drawn by the British; while China protested that it had not agreed to the frontier. It was difficult to have a clear border between the two countries because much of their frontier lies in the inaccessible Himalayas. In 1958, China announced that it had built a road on the Aksai Chin plateau, which was one of the disputed territories, and the Indian government protested. Tensions worsened when fighting broke out in the disputed territories, which eventually led to a war. They then signed an agreement to address the border issue reasonably. From the example, we can tell that conflicts can occur when territories are claimed by two countries or more. Control over certain tracts of land can be important to a country especially if it concerns its defence or national pride. As such, some countries may attempt to extend territorial control by taking over territories which do not belong to them, which may result in conflicts due to territorial disputes. Another cause is the competition over scarce resources. For example, Iceland and Britain were in conflict over fishing grounds in the 1970s. Fishermen from European countries like Britain were overfishing around Iceland, leading to the decrease in fish stocks. Iceland sought help from the United Nations which extended Icelands fishing ground boundary, such that no country can fish within Icelands boundary without permission. When Britain refused to acknowledge the new boundary, Iceland cut its diplomatic ties with Britain, until an agreement was signed later on. The worlds natural resources such as land, water, oil and fish are unequally distributed. As such, some countries have more of these resources while others have less. Countries with fewer resources may use force to gain more, especially if these resources are necessary for its survival or economic growth. When this happens, conflicts may arise. In this case, Iceland had to react as their livelihood was affected and they had to ensure their own survival. This later led to a conflict. Another cause is ideological differences. For example, North Korea and South Korea fought a war in 1950 because they believed in different ideologies. North Korea, which believed in Communism, invaded South Korea which believed in democracy. The United Nations defended South Korea in fear that communist ideologies would be spread to South Korea. The war only ended when an agreement was signed and a demilitarized zone was created. From the example, different values and beliefs among countries can cause conflicts. When countries pursuing different ideologies see that their beliefs are threatened, conflicts may arise between them. Competing for scarce resources is the most important factor which leads to conflict between countries. This is because these resources may be vital for the survival of a country. In the case of Iceland-Britain conflict, Icelands

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was dependent on the fishing industry for its economic needs. As the livelihood of the Icelanders would be threatened if fish stocks decrease, they were willing to risk clashes with Britain in order to protect their national interests and ensure their survival. Conflicts over ideology are less important because it does not affect the survival of a country directly. On the other hand, the natural resources that a country has would promote economic growth and allow a country to develop.

How far can the policy of Total Defence be an effective deterrence against aggression on Singapore? Explain your answer. [12] L1 Intro L2 Describe GF Total Defence is an effective deterrence measure against aggression on Singapore. Besides Total Defence, other measures include a citizen armed force and military cooperation with other countries. Total Defence was introduced in 1984 to involve all Singaporeans in the defence of the country. It consists of five aspects: Military, Civil, Economic, Social and Psychological defence. Civil defence involves being vigilant and alert at all times, as well as knowing what to do during civil emergencies. Economic defence is about building a strong, stable economy that will not break down in times of any crisis. The Singapore Workforce Development Agency also helps to upgrade the skills of workers so that they can remain employable in a competitive economy. Social defence involves living and working in harmony regardless of race and religion, and helping one another in times of need. Psychological defence is about feeling proud as Singaporeans and having the will and mental strength to overcome challenges. Total Defence is an effective deterrence measure because it provides a comprehensive and integrated response to all kinds of threats and challenges. When all Singaporeans believe that Singapore is worth defending, Total Defence will be effective. Potential aggressors will think twice about attacking us, knowing that they face the entire nation and not just the armed forces. Another deterrence measure is a citizen armed force. In 1967, National Service (NS) was introduced. All able-bodies male citizens were called up to serve full-time NS. They learn to defend their own country and through sharing a common experience during training, it develops in them a sense of loyalty and a shared destiny for Singapore. After which, they would continue to serve in the citizen armed force as Operationally Ready NS men for 10 years, and undergo refresher courses to maintain their competence in handling newer weapons and equipment, as well as learn new tactics of war. In the past, Singapore did not have its own armed force for military defence. Through building a citizen armed force, we can now depend on ourselves to defend the country. By having the SAF which comprises of the Army, Air Force and Navy, Singapore can protect itself against any foreign threats. Potential aggressors would not attack Singapore as we can defend ourselves. Even if they do, they know they face a strong armed force. This way, it deters aggressors from attacking us.

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The last measure is military cooperation with other countries. Singapore actively fosters friendly ties with the armed forces of other countries through bilateral and multi-lateral agreements and exercises. For bilateral cooperation, Singapore has military agreements with countries like Australia and India to allow Singapore troops to train in their countries. Singapore also conducts military trainings with neighbouring countries like Malaysia and Indonesia, which helps increase cooperation and strengthens ties among them. For multi-lateral cooperation, Singapore is a member of the Five Power Defence arrangements. It comprises five countries which conduct exercises every year. In the event of an external threat against a country, members would consult one another on the appropriate measure to be taken. Military exercises allow the SAF to gain more experience and become more powerful. Most importantly, cooperation and coordination between Singapore and other countries are strengthened. They would be willing to assist one another in the event of any external threats and can work together to combat terrorism. It is effective against aggression because the other countries would help Singapore when we face external threats. With such cooperation, potential aggressors are less likely to attack us. In conclusion, Total Defence is the most effective against aggression. This is because defence should not only involve the armed forces. By getting the entire nation to be involved in Singapores defence efforts through Total Defence, Singaporeans will understand that our security cannot be granted and they would be resilient as a nation to combat any form of aggression. On the other hand, a citizen armed force only covers military defence, which is not enough because it does not involve all Singaporeans in the defence of their own country.

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