FOREIGN RELATIONSP 19 5 0, VOLUME I


  Not that, in sense of our world position. Something far more somber.
  It meant. the removal. of the barriers which through all our history
from Queen Anne's Wars and French and Indian Wars, through
Napoleon, Bismarck, World War I and II had stood between us and the
-immediate impact of whatever predatory force was loose in the world,.
  We are in the position of the individual who, for the first time, on
the death of a parent, hears in a new way the roaring of the cataract.
  At any rate, and make no mistake about it, we are now exposed
without opportunity for time to teach us or shield us to the blows
of fate.
  In the past we were the reluctant ally to be wooed and won.
  Today we either stand alone or we stand with friends. But in either
case we stand together from the very first shot.
  If that is not made clear Inow and clinched with unmistakable action,
the somber truth is that we stand alone-outnumbered--outre-
sourced-with an unmanageable problem.
  There is no need for this unless some blind folly possesses us. The
free world wants us, trusts us, looks for leadership. Will fall in
shoulder to shoulder as free and equal in the face of appalling danger.
  But leadership requires understanding, responsibility, discipline.
The flatulent bombast of our public utterances will lead no one but
fools.
  Very well-where do we start? From vast weakness in Europe, the
Near East and Asia. I leave the USA out.
  We have built greatly in Europe where our efforts were rightly
centered. As strength grows there, it grows everywhere. Without it
any other growth will wither.
  When it became clear that the economic course would not and could
not go forward without rebuilding military power before the foun-
dations were laid, we resolved to
                       Greek-Turkish Aid
                       NATO
                       MDAP
  We have held the line. Used money, arms, diplomacy, organization--
all to gain time for the underlying strength.
  It seemed sound to believe on what we could know and deduce that
there was time to carry out a military rearmament program over
enough years to keep the economic underpinning sound and not give
entrance to communists by the back door.
  It did not need too much time and the parties were eager and
willing.
  Then came Korea.


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