Think Tanks and a New Order in East Asia

Abstract

This article considers the work of American think tanks in foreign policy-making immediately before and during World War ii. It argues that two well established organizations, the Council on Foreign Relations and the Institute of Pacific Relations, were particularly influential. Both became involved in government planning for future u.s. policy in East Asia through their wartime programs. They collaborated with official u.s. government planners through outsourcing projects, hosted official and unofficial discussion groups and conferences, supported networking, and funded policy-relevant research and publications. The activities of these two organizations helped to define the range of policy options planners and politicians considered, include the ideas of outside experts into the work of government, and facilitate cooperation between the United States and its allies on postwar planning. The interaction between the u.s. government and interwar think tanks had a lasting impact on American-East Asian relations.