Evening star., 1950-11-16
Red Chino's Objective?

When PeiplngS representatives appear before
the Security Council of the United Nations, the
world may get better idea of just why the Chi
nese Communists have resorted to direct armed
intervention in North Korea Meanwhile, espe-
cially in view of their puzzling military tactics
tactics involving number of Withdrawals and
seeming decision not to try major offensive
operations at this time-ther real intentions
and objectives constitute mystery about which
one can only speculate and theorize
For example, one can speculate and theoriZe
along the lines set forth by Admiral Nin1itz. In
the admiral's opinion, Red China has intervened
in Korea in order to furnish itself with an excuse
for moving great numbers of troops northward to
keep the Russians from absorbing Manchuria.
Since that great region is kind of Asiatic Ruhr
in relation to the Chinese economy and since
the Soviet Union has been in the process of
attaching" it to ITSELF his Interpretation is not
entirely implausible, but it seems more than a
little wiShful. 1t seems for these reasons among
others: % 1t discounts the significance of
Peiping'S ominously virulent anti-American prop
aganda; (2) it presuppoSes that Mao Tze-tung,
far from being MoScow'S puppet, is super-subtle
Oriental Tito; and 90 1t overooks the fact that
the Kremlin has almost certainly inspired him
to intervene and that it has been supporting his
forces with encouraging words and with things
like jet-propelled planes.
More persuasive than Admiral Nimitzs idea
but not necessarily more accurate-is the theory
that the Chinese Communists have gone into
North Korea to attain strictly limited objective
for themselves and the Russians. That objective
so the theory goes, is to force from the United
Nations-by threatening large-scale war-a deal
under which Red China would be granted the
Korean territory its troops now hold. Such ideal
besides keeping our American and allied U. N
forces from the borders of Manchuria and Siberia,
would constitute triumph for Peiping and Mos
cow because it would Cd render pretty meaning
less the defeat of aggression in Korea % restore
the kremlinS prestige in any satellite country
where the summers events may have tended to
make international communism look weak and
90 give to Mao and his Soviet masters frontier
region rich enough in minerals, hydroelectric
power and other resources to make it a place of
great industrial Importance
Both Peiping and the Kremlin, however must
know that nothing could be more remote than
an appeasement bargain of that kind. The United
Nations has made clear that it has no intention
OF violating the Manchurian or Siberian borders
and that it is ready to establish the frmest guar
anteeS insuring Chinas and Russias legitimate
interests in the frontier region. But the idea of
handing over a slice of Korea as well-the idea
OF agreeing to a Munich deal in Asia-seens
wholly out of the question Accordingly since
Nado anu OIdlIu uIlQOuDCeQly are aware OF this
we still face the mystery of what the Chinese
Communists are aiming at with their armed in
tervention. All other theorizng and specializing
TO one side dncluding the suggestion that the
SoVlets are intent upon bleeding us white in
long battle of attrition), is it conceivable that
Moscows Pravda has for once spoken the truth
in declaring that the Red objective is nothing less
tnan to drive our American and allied u NJ forces
INTO tne sea, even at the risk of precipitatng a
large-Scale war?
Considering the violent, hate-breeding char
acter of Maos propaganda against the United
States, such possibility is not to be discounted.
Yet, unless he and his whole regime are victims
OF kind of Madness it is difficult to believe that
they are ready to go al-out in Korea. For if
they are, If their objective is what Pravda saws
1t is, then they are inviting military counter-ac-
ton of kind capable of obliterating their vital
sources of strength along the Yalu River and
throughout Manchuria. Maybe, when they show
up at Lake Success, Peipings representatives will
sing tune indicating that Red China is not quite
so deranged as that.