Page:Pentagon-Papers-Part V. B. 2. b.djvu/116

Declassified per Executive Order 13526, Section 3.3
NND Project Number: NND 63316. By: NWD Date: 2011

 

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defense of the Western Hemisphere. It would also call for a review of the strategic deployment of United States forces in the Far East; and

(2) Bring about almost immediately a dangerous condition with respect to the internal security of the Philippines, Malaya, and Indonesia, and would contribute to their probable eventual fall to the Communists;

e. The fall of Southeast Asia would result in the virtually complete denial to the United States of the Pacific litteral of Asia, Southeast Asian mainland areas are important in the conduct of operations to contain Communist expansion;

f. Communist control of this area would alleviate considerably the food problem of China and would make available to the USSR important strategic materials. In this connection, Soviet control of all the major components of Asia's war potential might become a decisive factor affecting the balance of power between the United States and the USSR. 'A Soviet position of dominance over Asia, Western Europe, or both, would consistute a major threat to United States security'; and

g. A Soviet position of dominance over the Far East could also threaten the United States position in Japan

 

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