This thesis examines how Nepal has historically resisted external domination and has survived through the politics of accommodation. Emphasis is placed on Nepal's relations with its two giant neighbors, India and China. The study includes an historical review of Nepal's role and position as a buffer and as an actor in her own right. Three periods following Nepal's unification are examined: Nepal between the British Indian and Chinese empires, Nepal between newly independent India and newly-Communist China; and, Nepal since its determined emergence on the world scene in the early 1950s. While India and China border Nepal, it is India which is of most concern. Growing Nepalese economic dependence upon India far outweighs the political threat of Communist China. Indeed, the dangers of Nepal being assimilated into Greater India are accentuated by such factors as geographical proximity, cultural and religious similarities, and political affinity. To counter this drift, Nepal has asserted herself more dynamically in the international arena. Other means have included accommodation with Nepal's powerful neighbors while simultaneously maintaining maximum internal and external autonomy. The thesis concludes with an examination of the three components of Nepal's current strategy in her quest for survival.

ADA 136623 Approved for public release; Distribution is unlimited. The opinions and conclusions expressed herein are those of the student-authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College or any other governmental agency. (References to these studies should include the foregoing statement.)