Keeping the Peace: Diplomacy and Deterrence

This exercise would help you to revise Chapter 6 of the Social Studies Sec 3 textbook in a more interactive way. This page gives you a basic introduction to the chapter.

Get your notes for this chapter here.

Diplomacy and deterrence are two methods used by countries to prevent or resolve contlicts and maintain their independence. Singapore adopts a two-pronged apporach of diplomacy and deterrence for its defence. Through its bilateral ties with other countries and membership in international organisations such as ASEAN and UN, Singapore seeks to co-operate with members of the international community. Co-operation among countries is possible only when there is trust. Countries must also be willing to discuss and settle issues, based on international law.

What is diplomacy?

• A form of international relations which allows for peaceful negotiations and discussion among countries
• Diplomats:
o perform consular, economic and political functions
o report to their own government on the development in the country they are based in
o update country they are based in on the rationale for decisions made by their own government

Why diplomacy?

1. Resolves conflict between countries
- countries could be involved in heated argument on issues
- they might not even be able to agree to one another’s views
- with diplomacy, these countries could discuss matter and understand one another’s stand better
- with diplomacy, they could also get a neutral party to negotiate for them or ask the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to aid in making a decision for them e.g. Singapore and Malaysia allowed ICJ to resolve their claim over Pedra Branca
- this would avoid conflict, leading to peace and prosperity for both countries.

2. Aids in development of the countries
- With the inter-dependence nature of the world, countries rely on one another
- A country could fully reach its potential with increased collaboration with other countries
- With diplomacy, countries get to know one another better
- this would increase political, social and economic cooperation between the countries, leading to greater collaboration between them
- e.g. developed countries like USA help others due to good diplomacy
- e.g. USA helped the western European countries after the Second World War because of good diplomatic relations among them.
- The countries would also be able to tap on one another’s strengths. E.g. Singapore taps on the foreign talents from China, India and other countries due to good diplomatic ties with these countries.

3. Allows for greater cooperation against an aggressor
- Not all countries are equally strong
- A stronger country might invade a small country or threatened it
- The small country thus would be threatened of its sovereignty
- With diplomacy, it could seek the assistance of other countries in defeating the aggressor
- E.g. 1991: Kuwait was attacked by Iraq. A combined force from UN counter-attacked Iraq, leading to Kuwait regaining its sovereignty.
- Countries could also impose economic sanctions or boycott trading with the aggressor
- This would force the aggressor to rethink the invasion, leading to peace.

To learn more about the diplomacy, click on any of the following links:
Part 1: Diplomacy: Bilateral Relations
Part 2: Diplomacy: Regional Relations
Part 3: Diplomacy: International Relations

What is deterrence?
- to increase the military strength of a country so that an intended aggressor would hesitate to attack it
- deterrence is necessary as diplomacy alone cannot work effectively. For diplomacy to be effective, it has to be supported by military deterrence. A country's military strength will make a potential enemy think twice before attacking it. The enemy knows that if it continues with the attacks, the other country will respond with all its military might. In the end, both sides will suffer great losses.

To learn more about deterrence, click on any of the links below:

Part 4: Deterrence: Citizens Armed Force
Part 5: Deterrence: Total Defence
Part 6: Deterrence: Singapore's Defence Industry
Part 7: Deterrence: Military Cooperation

Links to relevant websites
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Singapore)
MINDEF
All newspapers

What approach Singapore takes in defending itself?
1. Multi-lateral approach.
2. Bi-lateral Approach.
3. Two-pronged approach
4. Diplomatic approach
What does the two-pronged approach involves?
1. Total Defence
2. Diplomacy and Deterrence
3. Resolving conflicts
4. Regional and International Relations
What is diplomacy?
1. Diplomacy is an attempt by countries to conduct relations with one another in a peaceful manner.
2. Diplomacy is to prepare oneself well by strengthening its military force.
3. Diplomacy is to ensure that everyone is living peacefully in the whole world.
4. Diplomacy is a computer game. It can be bought from Funan Centre.
Who are diplomats?
1. Diplomats are spies sent to another country to get more information about the country.
2. Diplomats are representative of a country who are stationed in another country to protect the interest of their country.
3. Diplomats are those who are caught by another country and kept as prisonrers of war.
4. Diplomats are key political leaders in the coutnry like the Prime Minister.
Which of these is not a role of a diplomat?
1. Performs consular services including serving and protecting citizens who live, work or travel abroad.
2. Reports to his country the economic and political conditions of the country in which he is based.
3. Attempts to settle differences between his country and country where he is based, to prevent wars.
4. Negotiates peace between the country he is based and another country, which is not his country.
What is economic sanction?
1. Economic sanction is a situation where countries stop trade with the aggressor. The aggressor cannot trade with countries which have decided to boycott it.
2. Economic sanction is a situation where a country decides to shut itself out of trading with any other country.
3. Economic sanction is to re-look at the economy and consider various ways in which the economy could be improved.
4. Economic sanction is to atack the economically strong areas of a country.
Which of these is not a possible consequence of an economic sanction?
1. Aggressor unable to trade with countries who imposed economic sanction on it.
2. Aggressor unable to export goods and thus loses an invaluable source of revenue.
3. Aggressor unable to import essential goods like machinery or medicine, making it weak and vulnerable.
4. Aggressor not able to continue providing proper education in the country.
What is the benefit of having a strong military?
1. It keeps the employment level high in a country.
2. It keeps aggressors away.
3. It keeps the doctor away.
4. It makes the country rich.
Which of these statements is not true?
1. Diplomacy and Deterrence provides a good balance for a strong defence of a country.
2. Diplomacy allows for better interaction and understanding among countries.
3. The building up of a strong defence force acts as a form of deterrence against any form of attack.
4. With either diplomacy or deterrence, we would be able to defend ourselves well.
Which of these statements is true?
1. Diplomacy only works when both parties are willing to negotiate.
2. Diplomacy only works when a third party is willing to be the negotiator.
3. Diplomacy only works when there is deterrence.
4. Diplomacy only works when there are more than two countries involved.