U.S. GLOBAL STRATEGY

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 70, Issue 104, 15 February 1950, Page 5

U.S. GLOBAL STRATEGY

EMPHASIS ON ASIA CONCLUSIONS FROM PACIFIC TOUR (N.Z.P.A.— Copyright) WASHINGTON, February 13. The American Joint Chiefs of - Staff have concluded that the main .emphasis of United States global strategy should be shifted from Europe to Asia. > Diplomatic sources said to-day that the Joint Chiefs, after a 10-day inspection tour of American bases in the central and western Pacific, had concluded that any crisis in the present struggle between the United States and the Soviet Union and its satellites, including Communist China, was more likely to take place in Asia than in Europe. The Joint Chiefs were said to regard South-east Asia as the most , dangerous area.

Diplomats did not link the Conclusions of the Joint Chiefs with the statement on American-Soviet relations by the Secretary of State (Mr Dean Acheson) last week, but they presumed that the Indo-Chinese area constituted one of those situations of weakness which Mr Acheson described as presenting an irresistible invitation to Communist interference, and , which he said should he eliminated. The diplomats said that recent Soviet manoeuvres in Eastern Germany, including the “creeping . blockade” in Berlin, were regarded by the Chiefs of Staff as moves intended to distract the attention of the Western Powers from Communist manoeuvres in Asia. The Chiefs of Staff were said to hold the following beliefs: — (1) Priority should now be given to the defence needs of those areas in South-east Asia which are immediately threatened by the advance of Communism. It was pointed out that President Truman already, had ■ 75,000,000 dollars available in funds allocated by Congress for use in the general area of China. The President has already rejected proposals to make these funds available to the Chinese Nationalist Government in Formosa. (2) United States naval forces in the Pacific should be strengthened, even at the expense of the Atlantic defences. United States naval forces are already being deployed from the f Atlantic to the Pacific.