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Salient. An Organ of Student Opinion at Victoria College, Wellington, N.Z. Vol. 14, No. 12. September 20, 1951

The Three Forms

The Three Forms

All these points of view are of the utmost importance in the formulation of U.S. foreign policy.

PvD then showed us the three main forms in which foreign policy in the United States express themselves. The first is that of the State Department as expressed by Acheson ("He is not perfect but we must remember the tremendous difficulties facing him") for the administration. This is the policy of developing, "situations of strength" throughout the world (e.g. Marshall Plan, Atlantic Union, Jap Peace Treaty etc.). The necessary follow-up to this policy is that of striking hard when aggression has actually taken place.

The second Neo-Isolation (1951 model), also has its supporters and this takes two forms. The Hoover concept of hemispheric defence . . . "Let us stop waging perpetual war for the sake of perpetual peace" . . . but it must be remembered that this policy is also based on the premise that U.S.S.R. policy in the future is certain to be hostile.

Another form of Neo-Isolationism at present with a certain number of supporters in the United States today was mentioned by Professor Van Deusen. This is the Taft Freedom of Movement Policy which is opposed to any further commitment of land forces. Taft sees any future battle with the Soviet Union as a worldwide fight and he would support the U.S.A. taking up the battle whereever the U.S.S.R. attacked but without the use of land forces. Professor Van Deusen pointed out the tendency of the Republicans to be more in favour of security measures in the Pacific area than in Europe but he left us with the idea that this was just a logical conclusion of the political maxim that it is the business of the Opposition to oppose.

He told us that the reason why the U.S.A. is to vitally concerned in the European area is that the makers of foreign policy realise that even if Communism completely overran Asia it would not get at once the vastly increased industrial potential which would fall to it if it could take over the rest of Europe.

Before asking questions we were given two prediction. The first was that the basic outlines of the Foreign Policy of the U.S.A. have been laid down now for several years to come by the present administration, and the second was that next year will be the crucial year in Russo-Chinese relations because Russian promises made to China regarding the handing over of certain strategic land areas will all fall due next year.