KOREA AND WORLD PEACE

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 81, Issue 7253, 18 September 1950, Page 6

KOREA AND WORLD PEACE

AMERICAN POLICY AND PRACTICE PRESIDENT TRUMAN S ADDRESS Following is the text of President Truman’s radio address to the nation, given very recently:— I want to talk to you about Korea about why we are there, and whafc our objectives are. As I talk with you, thousands of families in this land of ours have a son, or a brother, or a husband fighting in Korea. I know that your thoughts are constantly with them—and* so are mine. These men of ours are engaged once more in the age-old struggle for human liberty. Our men, and the men of other free nations, are defending with their lives the cause of freedom in the world. They are fighting for the proposition that peace shall be the law on this earth. Wje must and shall support them with every ounce of our strength and with all our hearts. We shall put aside all else for this supreme duty. No cause has ever been more just or more important. For the first time in all history men of many nations are fighting under a single banner to uphold the law of the world. This is an inspiring fact. If the rule of law is not uphe.d, we can look forward only to the horror of another world war and ultimate chaos. For our part, we do not intend to let that happen. Two months ago Communist imperialism turned from the familiar tactics of infiltration and subversion to a brutal attack on the small republic of Korea W|hen that happened the free and peace-loving nations of the world faced two possible courses. One course would have been to limit our action to diplomatic protests, while the Communist aggressors went on and swallowed their victim. That would have been the course of appeasement. If the history of the 1930’s teaches us anything, it is that appeasement of dictators is the sure road to world war. If aggression were allowed to succeed in Korea, it would be an open invitation to new acts of aggression elsewhere. The other course is the one which the free world chose- The United Nations made its historic decision to meet military aggression with armed force. The effects of that decision will be felt far beyond Korea. The firm action taken by the United Nations is our best hope of achieving world peace. It is your liberty and mine which are involved. What is at stake is the free way of life—the right to worship as we please, the right to express our opinions, the right to raise our children in our own way, the right to choose our jobs, the right to plan our own future, and the right to live without fear. All these are bound up in the present action of the United Nations to put down aggression in Korea.

We cannot hope to maintain our own freedom if elsewhere it is wiped out. That is why the American people are united in support of our part in this task. During the last five years we have worked day in and day out to achieve a just and lasting peace. We have given every possible proof of our desire to live at peace with all nations. We have worked for liberty and self-government for people the world over. Most nations have joined with us in this effort, but the Soviet Union and the nations it controls have unceasingly hampered all efforts to achieve a just peace. The Soviet Union has repeatedly violated its pledges of international co-operation. It has destroyed the independence of its neighbours. It has sought to disrupt those countries it could not dominate- It has built up tremendous armed forces far beyond the needs of Its own defences. Communist imperialism preaches peace but practises aggression. In these circumstances the free nations have been compelled to take steps to protect themselves against the aggressive designs of the Communists. The United Nations were able to act as they did in Korea because the free nations in the years since Wiorld War II have created a common determination to work together for peace and freedom. Every American can be justly proud of the role that our country in bringing this about. We have taken the lead in step after step to create unity and strength among the free nations. The record of these steps is impressive. Let me recall some of them to you:—

In 1945 we helped to bring the United Nations into existence at San Francisco. In 1946 the United States gave its fll support to the successful action taken by the United Nations to protect Iran against Communist invasion. In 1947 we began our military and economic aid to Greece and Turkey, which has helped those countries to keep their independence against Communist threats and attacks. Also in 1947, by the Treaty of the operation. Ground orces have other American nations to guarantee the safety of the western hemisphere. In 1948 the Marshall Plan checked the danger of Communist subversion have landed in Korea, and more are has brought the free nations more closely together in a strong economic framework. The Berlin air-lift, in 1948 and 1949, defeated the Soviet effort to drive the free nations out of the democratic outpost of western Berlin. The North Atlantic Treaty, in 1949, served notice that the nations of the North Atlantic community would stand together to preserve their freedom. To-day, in 1950, we are going ahead with an enlarged programme for military aid to strengthen the common defence of the free nations. ’Step by step, these achievements in the struggle between freedom and Communist imperialism have brought the free nations closer together. When the Communist movement turned to open, armed aggression in Korea, the response of the free nations • as immediate. Firty-three of the fiftynine members of the United Nations joined in meeting the challenge; thirty have already pledged concrete aid to the United Nations to put down this aggression. Thus far the brunt of the fighting has fallen upon the armed forces of

the republic of Korea and the United States. In addition, naval forces from Australia, Canada, France, Great Britain, the Netherlands, and New Zealand have been and are now in action under the United Nations command. Fighting planes from Australia, Canada, and Great Britain have joined the operation. Ground forces have been offered by Thailand, the Philippines, Turkey, Australia, France, and other countries. Some British troops have landed in Korea, and more are on their way. All of these will serve under the flag of the United Nations and under the United Nations commander, General MacArthur. Our own men, with their gallant Korean comrades, have held the breach. In less than eight weeks five divisions of the United States have moved to combat, some of them from bases more than 6000 miles away. More men are on the way; Fighting in different country, under every kind of hardship, American troops have held back overwhelming numbers of the Communist invaders. Our naval and air forces have been carrying the attack to the military bases and supply lines of the aggressors. Our men have fought with grim gallantry. All of us, especially those of us who are old soliders, know how worthy they are of a place on that long and honoured roll of those who created and preserved liberty for our country.

The soldiers of the Republic of Korea have been fighting fiercely for their own freedom. The determination of the South Koreans to maintain their independence is shown not only by the valour of their soldiers in the battle-line, but also by countless supporting activities of the whole population. They are giving every possible assistance to the United Nations forces. —.

These United Nations troops are still outnumbered, but their hard and valiant fight is bringing results. We hold a firm base of about 3500 square miles. For weeks the enemy has been hammering, not at one spot, now at another; sometimes at many points at once. Ho has been beaten back each time with heavy loss. The enemy is spending his strength recklessly in desperate attacks- Wie believe the invasion has reached its peak. The task remaining is to crush it. Our men are confident, the United Nations command is confident, that it will be crushed. The power to do this is being gathered in Korea. Right now the battle in Korea is the front line in the struggle between freedom and tyranny. But the fighting there is part of a larger struggle to build a world in which a just and lasting peace can be maintained. That is why we in the United States must increase our defensive strength over and above the forces we need in Korea. That is why we must continue to work with other free nations to increase our combined strength. The Congress is now acting on my request to increase our programme of arms aid to other free countries. The nations are greatly increasing their own efforts. Our aid is not substitute, but is an addition to what they themselves do.

In Western Europe alone there are over 200,000,000 people. Next to ours, their industry is the world’s greatest workshop. They are joining with us to develop collective forces for mutual defence—our defence as well as yours. The armed forces of the United States are a key element in the strength of the free world. In view of the thrtats of aggression which nof face us we shall have to increase these forces, and we shall have to maintain larger forces for a long time to come.

We have had about 1,500,000 men and women on active duty in our army, navy, and air force. Our present plans call for increasing this number to close to 3,000,000, and further increases may be required. In addition to increasing the size of our armed forces, we must step up sharply the production of guns, tanks, planes, and other military equipment. We shall also have to increase oui stock-pile of essential materials, and expand our industrial capacity to produce military supplies. We have the ability and the resources to meet the demands which confront us. Our industry and agriculture have never been stronger or more productive. We will use as much of this economic strength as is needed to defend oursedves and establish peace- Hitler and the Japanese generals miscalculated badly, ten years ago, when they thought we would not be able to use our economic power effectively for the defeat of aggression. Let wouldbe aggressors make no such mistake to-day. W ( e now have over 62,000,000 men and women employed—more than we have ever been before. Our farmers are producing over 20 per cent more than they were in 1940- The productive capacity of our manufacturing industry is 60 per cent greater than it was ten years ago, when the Axis dictators threatened the world. vVa must now; divert a large share of this productive to defence purposes. To do this will require hard work and sacrifice by all of us. I know all of us are prepared to do whatever is necessary in the cause of peace and freedom. We have never yet failed to give all that is needed in that cause, and we never will. In order to increase our defence effort rapidly enough to meet the danger that we face, we shall have to make many changes in our way of living and working here at home. We shall have to give up many things we enjoy. Wie shall have to impose certain restrictions upon ourselves. The Congress has completed action on legislation to enable us to channel the necessary effort to defence production, to increase our productive capacity, and to hold down inflation. After this legislation is signed I intend to talk to you again, to explain what your Government proposes to do, and how each citizen can play his part in this national effort-

As we moved forward to arm ourselves more quickly in the days ahead, and as we strive with the United Nations for victory in Korea, we must keep dearly in mind what we believe in and what we are trying to do. We also want the rest of the world to understand clearly our aims and our hopes. First: We believe in the United Nations. When we ratified its charter we pledged ourselves to seek peace and security through this world organisation. WTe kept our word when