No. 771
Editorial Note
In Minnich’s “Supplementary Notes” on the Legislative Leadership Meeting held June 21, the section concerning Japan reads:
“Japan—The President took note of the different groups on the Hill which preached either ‘no trade with Red China’ or ‘no war in Southeast Asia’ or ‘no further liberalization of trade’ or even ‘no trade with Japan.’ It was his own feeling, however, that if we didn’t do a little of some of these, we would lose Japan. Should Japan go communist (in fact or in sympathy) the U.S. would be out of the Pacific, and it would become a communist lake.
“The President thought something had to be done for Japan through the Mutual Security program, or trade or otherwise; the U.S. just couldn’t let the situation be dominated by the irresponsible groups that are shouting on the Hill. We’ve got to steer a clear and steady course, he said, with at least a modicum of sense in it.” (Eisenhower Library, Staff Secretary’s Records)