“Russians Regarded Korean War As Major Blunder”

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26465, 5 July 1951, Page 7

“Russians Regarded Korean War As Major Blunder”

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 8 p.m.) WASHINGTON, July 3. Mr Ayerell Harriman, Mr Truman’s foreign affairs adviser, said to-day that he believed that the Soviet Union regarded the Communist attack on South Korea as a major blunder. Mr Harriman was testifying before the Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives in support of Mr Truman’s 8,500,000,000-dollar military and economic foreign aid programme. He also said that he believed the decision to oppose the ac( of aggression in Korea was a crucial step in preventing another world war.

“I believe the-Kremlin considers the attack on Korea as a major blunder. They expected to attain an easy victory to demoralise the United Nations and to discredit American leadership. Not only has this plan failed, but aggression in Korea has aroused our country and our Allies to undertake greatly accelerated rearmament for defence.”

Mr Harriman said that the Kremlin respected nothing but strength. “I earnestly believe we are to-day facing the supreme test —whether we are prepared to make, at the present day, efforts to assure our security and the continuing growth and vigour of a free society.”

There were those who were asking if the United States could not reduce its defence with the hope of an armistice in Korea. “Perhaps the greatest danger of ail is the danger of relaxation,” he said. He believed that the free nations were now in the acute phases of the struggle against the Kremlin’s aggressive designs. Mr Charles Edward Wilson, Director of Defence Mobilisation, told the Senate Finance Committee that a Korean truce would have no effect on the nation’s preparedness programme. Asking the committee to approve the 10,000,000,000 dollars taxation increase sought by Mr Truman, Mr Wilson said that the preparedness programme “must be based not upon the Korean fighting but upon what we know to be the ultimate aims and present tactics of the Soviet Union.

“Until we know there is a genuine change in the long-term aims of world Communism, we cannot afford to slow the pace of our defence build-up, and our aid to other countries.”