Editorial Note
On March 29, 1954, John Foster Dulles, the Secretary of State, delivered an address on “The Threat of a Red Asia” before the Overseas Press Club of America, at New York. The Secretary outlined the position of the administration with regard to Indochina and also Communist China. He reaffirmed the support of the United States for the struggle being waged by French Union forces in Indochina and described the Viet Minh as a component part of the Communist imperialist [Page 1182] movement headed by the Soviet Union and Communist China. He stated that should the Viet Minh achieve military or political success, they “would subject the people to a cruel Communist dictatorship taking its orders from Peiping and Moscow.” The Secretary further contended that “If Communist forces won uncontested control over Indochina or any substantial part thereof, they would surely resume the same pattern of aggression against other free peoples in the area.”
Secretary Dulles cited recent statements by United States officials designed to deter Communist aggression and stated the following for the purpose of further clarifying the position of the United States:
“Under the conditions of today, the imposition on Southeast Asia of the political system of Communist Russia and its Chinese Communist ally, by whatever means, would be a grave threat to the whole free community. The United States feels that that possibility should not be passively accepted but should be met by united action. This might involve serious risks. But these risks are far less than those that will face us a few years from now if we dare not be resolute today.”
For the full text of the address, Department of State Press Release No. 165, see Department of State Bulletin, April 12, 1954, pages 539542. Regarding the speech, see also telegram 689 to London, August 3, 1954, page 1915.