Communism “Basic Threat” To N.Z.

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30188, 20 July 1963, Page 13

Communism “Basic Threat” To N.Z.

New Zealand should be grateful to her major allies for their possession of the nuclear deterrent, which had kept general war away for 18 years and which would continue to do so if resolutely handled, the Chief of Air ’ Staff, Air Vice-Marshal I. G. Morrison, said yesterday. He was giving the second lecture to students of the University of Canterbury in a series on “New Zealand in the World.'’ In his lecture on New Zealand's place in defence. Air Vice-Marshal Morr son emphasised that he spoke as an individual, and not officially. It was generally agreed that the deterrent strategic power of the West made general war remotely possible, but New Zealand had to be on guard against limited war and insurgence. especially in Asia, ■which had become her front door.

The basic threat to New Zealand's security was communism, which was intent upon the extension of its power and policies by any means profitable to it, including force. "This is the basic threat with which we have to live until time and the pain of experience and the gain in individual wealth and higher standards of living bring about the internal conversion of Russia and China and their more rabid satellites from the Communist ideology." he said. New Zealand's basic objective had to be to obtain peace with honour, particularly in the Pacific basin.

. It had been believed that nuclear arms would deter all war except insurgency, but where an enemy set out to gain a limited end with I.mited force, this deterrent was accepted to have no use.

as no sane being would set in motion a chain of events likely to lead to his own destruction. The West therefore had to possess power on a lower scale to deter and handle any such limited probes. The most telling deterrent power in this field was the collective array of mainly conventional air power, which presented the most flexible, mobile and ready means of demonstrating the resolve of partners to hold the line when probes seemed imminent

“I think it is fair to say that provided we do the right and vigilant things with the right force at the right time, limited war is also unlikely,’’ he said.

No strategic deterrent or strength of conventional force had proved effective to prevent insurgency in Malaya. Laos and South Vietnam.

“The roots of insurgency, to my mind, lie with those who have a vested interest in chaos— not in disparity of development, hunger or resentment. By all means let us help and try to improve the lot of others when they wish it, but let us recognise that this in itself gives no guarantee of peace and stability," he said. “The real roots of trouble are deliberately planted and nourished by Communists with the evil intent to generate hate and chaos to further their own ends."