Sentence:  A nation such as Switzerland could be neutralized by agreement and could be relied upon to protect its neutrality ; more doubtful , but possible , ( with an assist from the North ) was the neutralization of the Latin American <WSD>countries</WSD> ; out of the question was the neutralization of Asia and Africa . 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  a politically organized body of people under a single government