[crdoconnor]

Economies with strategically located container shipping ports developed via protectionist trade policies.

These economies were 'allowed' to develop into rich industrial economies was because America provided privileged access to the US domestic markets in spite of their protectionist policies.

They allowed that because they saw the value of having these countries developed into 'westernized' bulwarks against the USSR's sphere of influence.

They could all easily have remained poor under different circumstances.