THE MENACE OF COMMUNISM IN THE FAR EAST

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP67-00318R000100650001-6
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 14
• Document Creation Date: December 23, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 7, 2013
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: August 14, 1956
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

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THE MENACE OF COM1VNISM IN THE FAR EAST
Address by Lieut. General C. P. Cabell, USAF
at Kiwanis Club of Dallas
Dallas, Texas
1 P.M., Central Standard. Time
].!d August 1956
You asked me here to discuss with you on this eleventh anniversary
of the Japanese surrender, the subject of the Far East. I em delighted
to be able to do this for I feel that the Far East today presents a
direct, serious and, let me emphasize, complicated, challenge to American
policy and interest. The Far East, for our purposes today, ranges from
Afghanistan and Pakistan, on the West, the sub-continent of India, the
Asian mass of Russia, through the vast bulk of China, It includes the
Southeast Asian countries: Burma, Thailand, Cambodia,\aos, Vietnam,
Malaya, and Indonesia. It also includes Australia, New, Zealand, the
Philippines, Japan, Korea, the Republic of China, and the countless
little dots of coral on the charts of the Pacific. The Far East
consists of about 10% of the non-Communist land, and about 50% of the
people of the free world today.
The free world area of Asia is rich in natural resources. It
furnishes 90% of the natural rubber, tea, and jute used in this country.
It provides significant quantities of other vital raw materials, including
tin, tungsten, manganese, chromite and oil. It is even richer in the
t
potential energies of a significant population.
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Here in Texas, we use considerable amounts of strategic materials
of the kind the Far East provides. 95% of the manganese used in the
U.S. is imported. We can make steel without tungsten or chromite, but
we cannot roll steel unless manganese is available. 37% of our imported
manganese comes from India, a Far East country. Sheffield Steel Division
of Aramco, at Houston, the Lone Star Steel Company here in Dallas (which
I understand manufacture oil country pipe), and Texas Steel Company at
.Fort Worth, would be helpless without manganese, to say nothing of the
impact the lack of rolled steel would have on our Texas auto, aircraft
and machine tool industries. Tungsten, another important product, is
imported from Korea, Burma, Thailand, Malaya, and Indonesia, Tungsten,
as you know, is essential to the production of hard alloys and is used
extensively here in Texas in the manufacture of rock bits for oil
drilling equipment produced by firms like the Hughes Tool Company, Reed
Roller Bit and Dresser Industries, Or natural rubber -- most of the
natural rubber used in this country comes from Southeast Asian sources:
Thailand, Malaya, and Indonesia, Considerable. quantities of natural
rubber are used in the manufacture of truck and aircraft tires. If
rubber supplies from Southeast Asia were cut off, plants in Dallas
using this important strategic product would have to-find less usable
substitutes. I could go on.
Now the areas from which these important products come are being
threatened by Communism.
To help us get the picture of the situation a little clearer in
mind, let me back up a bit in recent history and draw your attention
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to the chart which shows in black the land area of Japan before she
began her aggression in 1931. By 194l, the Japanese held one-fourth
of China's area and had conquered one-half of its population. They
had received Indo-China by default from the French Government at Vichy.
These areas are shown in blue. They stood ready to take over the
balance of Southeast Asia.
As a next step, the Japanese felt th4t they had to neutralize the
United States Navy. They were afraid that~we might not be ready to
knuckle under to their further expansionismo-and that we would go to war
to prevent it. Thus, the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor and almost
simultaneously, strikes at Hong Kong, Manila, Thailand, Singapore,
Midway, Wake, and Guam.
On the map, those areas in purple represent the furthest extent
of conquest, that is, before we_were able to stop them at the great
cost familiar to you all. Their over-all conquests had increased
Japanese-held land area from a quarter of a million to more than three
million square miles, and encompassed over 1460 million people.
Now compare this with the other map showing the course of the
Communist Empire in the Par East. They first communized all of the
China mainland, and progressively extended their control to a land
area of nearly 4 million square miles, encompassing a population of
621 million people. The combined Soviet-Chinese Communists, based on
the vast land mass of-China., and in command of all of its people and
resources, present a new and more dangerous threat than over posed by
the Japanese.
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The Communists know that a take-over of the non-Communist parts
of Asia, whether by military conquest, by subversion, or by default,
will tip the balance of power in their favor. If they can lull us into
a sense of false security, or precipitate a break in relations between
us and our friends so as to force us to withdraw our protective shield
from the free Asians, they will open the way for progressive Communist
control over the entire Far East -- cheaply and easily.
But, we have not allowed them to maneuver us into this position.
Our firm stand in Korea, and, after the loss of North Vietnam, in
Indo-China, has already forced the Communists to shift their tactics,
in their struggle for control of the Far East. For the moment, and
possibly for some time to come, their emphasis is on the drive for
normal diplomatic relations, for increased trade, for cultural exchanges,
and for all the trappings of peace. But, keep in mind that the ultimate
Communist objective -- the conquest of the free world'-- is unchanged.
Let me repeat: the ultimate Communist objective -- conquest of the free
world -- is unchanged.
The Communists have launched a major campaign to make friends.
Swarms of Communist diplomats, trade officials, dancers and actors are
going abroad. Swarms of non-Communist businessmen, students, teachers,
and government officials are being invited to Peiping and Moscow where
they are wined and dined. These visitors, and even many foreign
government officials, return home with their previous worries about
Communist encroachment eroded, or erased, and some even return with
glowing accounts of the "Communist paradise on earth."'
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The Chinese Communists and Russians are making a major effort to
prevent the rebirth of Japan as a free world power. The Japanese
Government, although aware of the political risks in opening relations
with the Chinese Communist regime and Russia, is under heavy pressure from
her own business interests to accept these risks for the sake of
economic benefits. The Chinese and Russian Communists are taking
advantage of this pressure to make political demands. They count on
closer ties with the Japanese to cause problems and bad blood between
Washington and Tokyo.
So far, there have been no serious differences apparent between
the two Communist giants, China and the Soviet Union. Opinions on the
nature, stability and durability of the Sino-Soviet partnership range
all up and down the scale, I believe the best estimate is, that although
China is much more a partner than a satellite, and is so acknowledged by
the Russians, she is nevertheless under effective Soviet control, Soviet
aid has helped make the Chinese military establishment the reasonably
modern, efficient war machine it is today. The Russians are now helping
the Chinese to develop a war industry of their own. There is no evidence
that either-partner badly wants a change in the present arrangements.
Against this united phalanx, the free world part of the Far East,
with American support, has powerful resources to bring to bear -- both
in war, should it eventuate, and in political, economic and cultural
competition.
Japan is now an ally of the free world. Its strategic position and
its heritage of strength and energy are tangible assets. The Free
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Chinese on Formosa have never wavered in their steadfast hatred of the
Communist tyranny which has overrun their homeland. The Philippine
Republic is strongly anti-Communist, the more so because of its own
experience after the war in crushing a Communist-led rebellion in the
islands. The Republic of Korea has no illusions about the Communists.
Pakistan is allied with us in two defensive pacts. Australia and New
Zealand are, of course, reliable partners in the Free World. In
Southeast Asia, Thailand has cooperated closely with the free world
plans for checking Communist expansionism, as has the new Republic of
Vietnam.
Let me give you some facts about the developments in Vietnam.a
country which most of the world feared might be lost following the
debacle.at Dien Bien Phu.
At that point, only two years ago, a plucky Vietnamese nationalist",
by the name of Diem, virtually unknown outside his own country, was
named to head Vietnam's legitimate non-Communist government, operating
in the portion of the country south of the 17th parallel, the line of-
division decided on at'the Geneva Conference of 1954. Without an
arny, without money, without an organized government, and under
conditions of indescribably confusion, this human being, short in
stature but big in principle, spearheaded the almost miraculous
achievements of the Vietnamese people in their fight to remain free.
By popular referendum -- the first free national voting in the
country's history -- a republican form of government has been adopted,
replacing a discredited monarchy. In another election, the people have
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constituted a National Assembly which in turn has drafted a democratic
constitution to order Vietnam's future growth. The constitution was
approved early in July after extended debate. Fromthe start, President
Diem, while continuing to reaffirm his people's desire to see all of Vietnam
reunited, refused to accede to all Vietnam elections, proposed at the'
Geneva Conference for July 1956. Such elections, he maintained, would be
rigged by the Communists north of the 17th parallel and become a mere
travesty in view of the failure of the Communist leaders to allow any
genuine freedom to the people in their zone. The compulsive character
of the regime in the north was eloquently demonstrated by the flight
of over 800,000 refugees from the North to the Free South in less than
a year. The U. S. supported President Diem in his courageous defense
of freedom. On 8 May, the Geneva co-chairmen, Great Britain and the
USSR, issued statements making it clear that, while the armistice would
be maintained in Vietnam, no elections would be held under present
circumstances.
Great strides have been taken to bolster Vietnam's economy, hard
hit by eight years of civil war, by the amputation of North Vietnam,
and by the influx of the 800,000 refugees from the north who forfeited
homes to escape the heel of Viet Minh Communism. Hundreds of thousands
of the refugees already have been resettled in the government-sponsored
villages and given an opportunity to lead productive lives.
In effect, a line was drawn across, the country and 800,000 refugees
poured across that line on the economy of the south. This land area is
only one-fifth the size of Texas, yet it supports half again the
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population of Texas. I suggest that an influx of that number of
people into Texas - without money, without jobs, and completely
dependent upon the state government for sustenance - would even in
our highly advanced economic system create a dislocation factor of
serious consequence.
For the first time in decades a deep sense of national pride is
being manifested in the fighting spirit of the Vietnam Republic's
National Army. This is the army that has recently fought Communist
subversion-in the swamps of Rung Sat by wading shoulder deep in disease
infested waters and hanging by trees at night to keep from drowning
in their sleep.
The American people have reason to be proud of our country's efforts
to help reorganize and. train this group of soldiers to be an effective
fighting force. The determination of the Vietnamese people is a.
gratifying spectacle in the face of the almost insurmountable odds
which they are overcoming.
The ways of Communism have been brought home clearly to Vietnam,
but there still remain many Asian countries which do not recognize the
full danger of Communist infiltration of their economic and political
systems. These uncommitted, or unconvinced nations, pride themselves
on being practical. They feel that if they can be left alone -- by
standing aside -- they can contribute to the obtaining of a long period
of peace. By refusing to join blocs, they feel they have an independent
voice in world affairs.
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Some of these nations are newly independent and fiercely nationalistic.
Each wants to go its own way, and each is resentful of advice, especially
from nations with a history of colonialism.
At this point, let me say something about colonialism. In our
country we obtained our independence so long ago, that now the word
"colonial" conjures up for us visions of lovely ladies in hoop skirts,
gracious and cultured living, and all the good things in life. As a
matter of fact -- and here is a good point to get in a commercial --
some years ago when my brothers, Ben and Earle, started their ice cream
business, they described their product as "C.abelles Colonial Ice Cream."
The purpose was, by the use of that word, to convey a feeling of quality
and acceptability, and to capitalize on the pleasant association of the
word "colonial" and so to sell more ice cream. I think they have,
"Colonial" or "colonialism," in the Far East today, however, is not a
parlor word. It evokes a depth of passionate resentment that is hardly
understandable to us. Asians? sensitivity to what this raises in their
minds, is a factor which will have to be lived with for a long time..
Whether we like it or not -- and most of us do not like it -- we
are now engaged in an economic, as well as political, conflict or
competition, with the Communists in the underdeveloped areas of the
world, especially Asia.
Asians are impressed with the rapid emergence of the two Communist
giants from underdeveloped countries to their present status of major
powers. Many Asians choose to ignore the means by which Russia and
Communist China have increased their power, Those means were slave labor,
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low living standards and total loss of freedom and human rights. They
see only the carefully selected and displayed results, and wonder what
they might accomplish by imitating Communist methods, or cooperating
with Russia and Communist China.
Until a year ago, there was no Russian or Chinese Communist economic
aid program in the Far East. Recently, however, the Communists have
seized on a major economic problem of the area: one-crop surpluses.
Unhampered by the necessity of sticking to sound business practices, or
rendering an accounting to their taxpayers, the Communists. seek, in
effect, to acquire first mortgages on these, countries and later to use
these liens to gain their objectives. Take Burma, for example. The
Communists have agreed to take surplus Burmese rice in exchange for
capital goods -- goods for which the West asks cash, usually in hard
currencies. They have offered to other Far East countries large loans
on very attractive terms -- long terms with two or two and half percent
interest -- payable in raw materials or in soft currencies. They have
insisted without stopping, that no strings are attached to these loans.'
We know, that once these one-crop surplus countries take the
Communist bait, they are hooked. The Communists can shut off the
flow of aid as summarily as they turned it on -- and by that time,
these countries may have gone beyond the point of no return.
However, I do not want to leave you with the impression that I
assume or estimate that the Communists will have unmitigated success.
You will have seen in the press of late, reports that the results of
these barter agreements are sometimes disappointing to the recipients.
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Burma's recently resigned Premier.U Nu, noting that the Communists
had rigged the prices, was reported as now saying "a man would have
to be out of his mind" to engage in barter trade when he can sell for
The fruits of our sensible, long-range, aid programs will be slow
in maturing, but the steady, growing exchange of students, technicians,
and scholars has already bettered relations and understanding. With
time, the Asians will become increasingly aware that we do not seek to
exploit them, and that our-aim is to help them become self-reliant and
strong. They will see that we continue to respect their independence
and to encourage their sense of equality in world affairs.
Maybe you will already have noted that I haven't so far offered
you a policy or plan that the U.S. should'follow to meet the situation
in the Far East, Let me go a little further and say that I'm not
going to either. I am sticking to my role of an Intelligence Officer,
which is to present the facts. It is then up to the policy makers and to
you, the public, to weigh these facts with other facts and conditions
known ';o you, and then to decide for yourselves the best policies to
keep the Asians strong and free.
.Now if I may deviate from the topic of the day, I should like to
make a few comments on the much publicized Khrushchev speech. As you
well know, Khrushchev, at the final session of the 20th Soviet
Communist Party Congress last February, delivered what has come to be
known as "the secret speech," in which he recited, chapter and Verse,
the record of Stalin's misdeeds during his later years.
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Why did Khrushchev and the other. Soviet leaders decide to break
with Stalinism so abruptly? For internal purposes, the bosses in the
Kremlin wanted to be relieved of the heritage of hate which devolves
on their regime from that of Stalin. They also realized that over-
centralization, maintained by the terror which developed under Stalin,
was working against efficient administration. Moreover, they decided
to give the appearance, not only at home but also abroad, of setting
up a barrier against the emergence of a Stalin in the future, and
thereby create the impression that they have actually embarked on a
"new, peaceful, course."
Events following the Party Congress suggest that the anti-Stalin
campaign may have gotten somewhat out of hand. Disorders broke out
in Stalin's homeland, the republic of Georgia. The satellites showed
striking differences in their understanding of the new Communist line.
Amid this confusion, the Polish workers in Posnan rioted on 28 June,
and were struck down with tanks and guns. And it was necessary for
the Czech Communist Government to call a general alert to forestall a
similar uprising in Czechoslovakia.
Within some of the Western Communist parties the reaction was
also pronounced. They were stung by the U.S. Government's acquisition
and release of Khrushchev's secret speech -- probably the first chance
many of them had to read it. They broke out in a rash of statements
critical of the present-day Soviet leaders.
At this point, party disipline began to assert itself. The Soviet
leaders published a resolution explaining and defending the downgrading
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of Stalin, but to some, it fell short of the "full Marxist explanation."
For example, they side-stepped the fundamental issue of how a system
which is purportedly based on scientific law, can produce a Stalin.
They tried to weasel out of responsibility for Stalin's abuses, by
claiming that many of the errors were unknown to the present leaders
during his lifetime, and that, in any case, an attempt to remove him,
quote: "would not have been understoo4 by the people." End quote.
Pravda, the Soviet Party mouthpiece, has indicated that the Soviet
Party has, for the time being at least, tried to close the debate on
the causes and implications of Stalinism. (They will not be permitted
to keep the debate closed.) Pravda has stated the limits beyond which
"democratization" will not be carried, emphasizing that there can be no
question of freedom of the press in the Western sense, or of a multi-
party system in the USSR. Pravda states: quote "the Communist party
was, is, and will be the one and only rule of thought, the one to
express the ideas and hopes of the people -- the leader and organizer
throughout the entire struggle for Communism." End quote.
Back off and take-a good look at all of the facts -- what would
you estimate -- has the leopard really changed its spots? I submit
that the mere burial of outward forms of Stalinism has in no way
altered the ultimate objective. In fact, there is really a relatively
small step between Stalin and Lenin, who is held up as the model today.
It is a misconception to believe that the elements of the Communist
system are the consequence of one devil who happened to conjure the
system.
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If so,,what does the future hold in this so-called turnabout? As
one foreign Communist expressed it, the revelations of the secret
Khrushchev speech had deprived the Kremlin of the "mystique" of the
Soviet cause which could never be recovered. He remarked, "Kremlin
rulers might bribe, finance and corrupt foreign Communists in an
endeavor to control them but they could never again enjoy, to the same
degree at least, the loyalty to the Soviet Union as the leader of a
"holy cause."
There is one thing certain, the Soviet leaders have raised hope
in the people of their satellites -- hope which will become harder to
dampen. In the process, they have started what may become a dangerous
chain reaction, and in the long run, they may achieve results they
neither anticipated nor desired.
'I appreciate very much the privilege of sharing these ideas with
you. Thank you for your generous hospitality.
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