e Communists themselves.
They frankly say that their present military effort is part of a
program to conquer Formosa.

It is as certain as can be that the shooting which the Chinese
Communists started on August 23d had as its purpose not just the
taking of the island of Quemoy. It is part of what is indeed an
ambitious plan of armed conquest.

This plan would liquidate all of the free-world positions in the
western Pacific area and bring them under captive governments which
would be hostile to the United States and the free world. Thus the
Chinese and Russian Communists would come to dominate at least the
western half of the now friendly Pacific Ocean.

So aggression by ruthless despots again imposes a clear danger to the
United States and to the free world.

In this effort the Chinese Communists and the Soviet Union appear to
be working hand in hand. Last Monday I received a long letter on this
subject from Prime Minister Khrushchev. He warned the United States
against helping its allies in the western Pacific. He said that we
should not support the Republic of China and the Republic of Korea. He
contended that we should desert them, return all of our naval forces
to our home bases, and leave our friends in the Far East to face,
alone, the combined military power of the Soviet Union and Communist
China.

Does Mr. Khrushchev think that we have so soon forgotten Korea?

I must say to you very frankly and soberly, my friends, the United
States cannot accept the result that the Communists seek. Neither can
we show, now, a weakness of purpose--a timidity--which would surely
lead them to move more aggressively against us and our friends in the
western Pacific area.

If the Chinese Communists have decided to risk a war, it is not
because Quemoy itself is so valuable to them. They have been getting
along without Quemoy ever since they seized the China mainland 9 years
ago.

If they have now decided to risk a war, it can only be because they,
and their Soviet allies, have decided to find out whether threatening
war is a policy from which they can make big gains.

If that is their decision, then a western Pacific Munich would not buy
us peace or security. It would encourage the aggressors. It would
dismay our friends and allies there. If history teaches anything,
appeasement would make it more likely that we would have to fight a
major war.

Congress has made clear its recognition that the security of the
western