NND Project Number: NND 63316. By: NWD Date: 2011
TOP SECRET SENSITIVE
REPORT OF THE VAN FLEET MISSION TO THE FAR EAST
SUMMARY OF GENERAL AND POLICY OBSERVATIONS
Chapter 5 - United States Position in the Far East: An Appreciation
1. The Problem: The problem before us is the failure of U.S. leadership in the Far East. In the light of enormous communist gains in Korea and Indochina, and the generally deteriorating situation throughout the area, the national security policies we have been following are pointing towards ultimate defeat. We must exercise necessary leadership and develop appropriate policies for that role.
2. The Enemy's Design: So long as the Chinese Communist regime exists, it will not abandon its goal of conquest, or dominance of East and Southeast Asia. For the next several years, Communist China is a greater menace to the Free World than the Soviet Union itself.
3. Implementation of the Design: Since the end of World War II, the Chinese Communist regime has waged a relentless war against the free world, specifically the United States. The conquest of China, Korea and Indochina have been stages. Geneva is but a first installment. It appears certain that Communist China will press on towards the objective of controlling all of Southeast Asia. Her further aggressive aims have been publicly announced ("liberation" of Formosa -- Ho Chi Minh's intention to take over all Vietnam). Communist China regards the Korean armistice only as a deferral of the ultimate aim of control of all Korea.
4. The Common Enemy: The common enemy in the Far East is Communist China, aided and abetted by Soviet Russia. Communist China has pursued a middle course -- pushing forward her program' of conquest, but never to the point of precipitating unlimited war with the U.S. We, by our actions and inactions, have transformed a once weak communist regime into a world power. Peace with freedom cannot be restored to Asia as long as the Chinese Communist regime continues to exist. Unless we stop her now, the results will be catostrophic and we will be forced to intervene eventually anyway to restore the balance.
5. Implications of Free World Defeat: Further defeats could lead to a chain reaction and loss of the whole area, including India, to the Communist orbit -- or its neutralization. Communist control of Asia would be an important step towards control of Europe.
"We must recognize that the defeat we … have suffered in Indochina is merely a part of the price we are paying for weakness in Korea -- for the Red Chinese victories in Korea that our self-imposed limitations forced on our commanders, for an armistice that relieved Red China of the strains of war … The future will reveal other prices we must pay for the free world defeat in Indochina."
TOP SECRET SENSITIVE
