Longines Chronoscope/09-02-1953

Frank Knight
United States naval representative on the Military Staff Committee of the United Nations.

William Bradford Huie
Admiral Struble, many of our viewers tonight will recall your leadership of the invasion at Normandy as well as your activities in the Korean War, your leadership of the Incheon landing. I'm sure that our viewers will appreciate some of your expressions tonight, sir. Now, first of all, about the recent developments, the lifting of the order to the Seventh Fleet which regards Formosa, and the contemplation of a naval blockade of the red Chinese. Now, sir, do you think that this move by General Eisenhower, and this talk of a blockade, do you think that this has increased the likelihood of a third world war?

Admiral Arthur D. Struble
No, I wouldn't think so. We have a war going on in Korea today, it's been going on for two and a half years, and it's my opinion that the order that the President issued has not increased the chance of a greater war.

Huie
Now you were in the Pacific, I believe, and were in command of the Seventh Fleet, whenever the President Truman's order to protect Formosa was put into effect, were you not sir?

Struble
Yes, I was the first command on the Seventh Fleet to receive that order.

Huie
There has been some misunderstanding in our country. A number of people have said that the presidential order now President Eisenhower's order, as regards the Seventh Fleet doesn't really change anything. Now, does it change anything? Are the Chinese Nationalists able to do anything now that they were not able to do when you were there sir?

Struble
The original directive both directed the Seventh Fleet to protect Formosa from red Chinese invasion of the island and also directed the Seventh Fleet to prevent Formosa being used as a base for operations against the Chinese mainland. The restriction against the use of Formosa as a base for operations against the Chinese mainland has been lifted by the presidential directive.

Huie
Now, now sir, what do you think about the possibility of a blockade, number one, sir, if the President and our government should decide on a blockade, is the Navy now able to mount an effective blockade against red China?

Struble
The Navy could mount an effective blockade against red China, the coastal line of the mainland, the complete effectiveness would of course depend upon the number of ships made available, the number of planes that were supplied, and of course, the complete effectiveness of the blockade would be effected by any opposition that might develop to your blockade.

Elliott Haynes
Admiral, would a blockade weaken, to any extent, the naval forces in Korea, or surrounding Korea?

Struble
The forces in the immediate area of Korea would probably be to some extent reduced. However, one of the great things about a naval force is mobility, and as China and Korea are adjacent, ships on the China patrol, would still be readily available for use in Korea as needed.

Haynes
Admiral, to date there has been little or no evidence of enemy submarines in the waters around Korea. Do you think a blockade might bring on an onslaught or retaliation with submarines?

Struble
It's possible but I don't believe it would.

Huie
Well, one of the things, sir, that--one of the problems of the new government in Washington is, that they are trying to reduce expense, and at the same time they are discussing the possibility of a naval blockade. Now, sir, if the government should decide on a naval blockade, would it increase the expenditures of the Navy, don't you think that other ships would have to be commissioned and that the Navy would have to be given more materiel?

Struble
There would probably be some increase of expenditures for a naval blockade.

Huie
Well sir, moving on to a larger subject, you of course have had a great deal of experience in the far east, and a great many of our viewers, a great many of Americans have wondered, as to whether we should have fought the war in Korea, as to whether we are doing right in becoming so deeply involved in Asia. Now could you evaluate some of the positions in Asia for us? First of all, sir, do you think that we should have fought for South Korea?

Struble
I do. I think that the communist aggression has started to spread, in the Far East area as a whole, to the point where it had to be stopped, particularly when it became exemplified, as it was in Korea, by a very direct aggression against the South Koreans. I think that our move to stop the aggression in South Korea was a proper move.

Haynes
Do you think that Japan is an important island to retain in control of the West?

Struble
It's my opinion that the communist action against Korea is primarily directed against japan. I feel that the long range objective of the communists is Japan, and that Korea is simply an intermediary step, one that for the moment he will get something out of. He will do two things right away if he takes over Korea, he will destroy to some extent the free world's collective security. At the same time there will be another area of the Far East into which we will be precluded from going. It then becomes--Korea then becomes, a pincer against--one pincer against Japan.

Haynes
It's a little bit ironic, then, that the South Koreans are really fighting for Japan and they feel that the Japanese are making money out of this war.

Struble
Well, of course the feelings between the South Koreans and the Japanese must be evaluated against the backdrop of many hundreds of years and you can't settle it in five minutes.

Huie
But what about--

Struble
I hope that greater and better understanding will occur between them

Huie
But what about Japan itself, sir? We spent so much blood and money destroying. Do you think that our people should now support a large scale rearmament of the Japanese?

Struble
I think we should assist the Japanese in preparing themselves for their own protection, which I am sure that they will clearly realize as time goes on.

Huie
Do you think that it's perhaps desirable that we should help Japan become a sort of counterweight to Russia in the orient?

Struble
I think that Japan is very important in our overall strategic position in the Far East. Japan, the Ryukyus, Formosa, and the Philippines are our western ramparts.

Haynes
Admiral--

Struble
All are very important.

Haynes
Admiral, there's been some talk of creating an Asian NATO. Do you think that the countries of Southeast Asia and Japan and Formosa and so on can put up enough forces to pose an effective barrier to communism?

Struble
I believe that they can in time, I wouldn't say that they could immediately.

Huie
Well about Formosa itself, sir. You recall that there was a great deal of argument in our country about whether we should retain Formosa or whether we should give it to red China at one time. Now do you think that Formosa is an important base for our operations in the far east?

Struble
I think Formosa is very important as one of our western ramparts. From our point of view we have no territorial ambitions, we don't want to take over Formosa. But we do want it in the free world, friendly hands--

Haynes
But what--

Struble
We will resist communist penetration, because again they would penetrate our western ramparts their pressure would again be exerted both on the Philippines and on the Ryukyus, and additionally they would have another arm for employment against Japan

Haynes
Admiral, do you think that if the communists waged a third world war, an all out war, that we could hold on to Formosa?

Struble
We might possibly lose it during the course of the conflict, but it would be very important that we held it at first--

Huie
Well--

Struble
And that would make a considerable difference in the action. You can never be sure that in any action that might occur during a great world war that what any one part of something that you have today, if subjected to enough power by the enemy would fall. But there you have he point of Japan. Japan has a great industrial might. If the communists, with his present control areas in the far east, were permitted to use their natural resources and their manpower combined with the Japanese industrial power, we would have a tremendous power against us in the western Pacific

Huie
Well, sir, Formosa has many fine airfields on it. Do you envision the Chinese Nationalists acquiring some of our fast aircraft and perhaps attacking the Chinese mainland--the railroads from Formosa?

Struble
I really have no particular--I have no knowledge as to our future aircraft production schedules and where they'll be delivered. I really can't answer that.

Huie
Well, as a final question, admiral, you've been with the UN now for about a year, and many Americans have been discouraged over the UN as an institution. Now, do you feel, sir, that we should continue to remain members of the UN, and to try to utilize it in the political warfare now?

Struble
Yes, I feel the UN has a place in our national existence. The President, Mr. Dulles, Mr. Lodge have all come out strongly, not only for the United Nations, but for United States representation in it, and I feel that although some of the hopes which were original raised at San Francisco have not been fulfilled, I believe it will fill a place that we should attempt to maintain for a little while.

Huie
Well, thank you sir for being with us this evening.

Knight
The opinions that you have heard our speakers express tonight have been those entirely their own. The editorial board for this edition of the Longines Chronoscope was Mr. William Bradford Hugey, and Mr. Elliot Haynes. Our distinguished guest was Admiral Arthur D. Strubel Unites States naval representative on the Military Staff Committee of the United Nations.

Knight
For the Longines Chronoscope, a television journal of the important issues of the hour. Broadcast on behalf of Longines, the world's most honored watch. and Whittnauer, distinguished companion to the world honored Longines. This is Frank Knight, reminding you that Longines and Whittnauer watches are sold and serviced from coast to coast by more than four thousand leading jewelers, who proudly display this emblem, agency for Longines Whittnauer watches.

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