Summary
Despite the doomsday predictions of the domino theorists following the fall of South Vietnam, the five non-communist countries of Southeast Asia (Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand) have become one of the fastest growing, relatively stable, and dynamic groups of countries in the Third World. They have, moreover, come together in a successful regional organization, ASEAN, which has diminished the likelihood of resort to violent methods to resolve interstate conflicts and has greatly enhanced their overall influence and position in the international community. These two books complement each other and are useful introductions to the subject.