Evening star., 1951-05-04

Reds without Formosa being given
to them?
Gen. MacArthur-My views on
Formosa are pretty well known. I
believe if you lose Formosa. you
lose the key to cur littoral line Of
defense and encompass Truk. I
believe the Philippines and Japan
both would be untenable from our
military point Of view. Formosa
cannot be taken by Red China as
long as the United States main
tains control of the seas and of the
air. There isn't the capacity in
my opinion of Red China to storm
the gates of FormoSa.
Now, whether the Chinese would
make any settlement which didn t
involve the future of Formosa is
entirely speculative. But the con-
|cept have as far as Korea is con-
cerned, is to put such pressure of
force upon them that they would
have to stop the aggression in
Korea. -.
Senator Hickenlooper - General,
this is a speculative question, but it
is one that is in the minds of great
many people. If settlement should
be made Of the situation over there,
if it should be resolved so that Red
China consolidated her position and
became the recognized government
there, do you think that we could
look thereafter to increased dangers
and threats in the region of
Alaska from communist forces of
whatever combination they might be
Russia or Red China. or combi-
nation of both? Do you think that
would increase our danger there?
Gen. MacArthur-If the enemy
secured Formosa and secured there
by the Pacific Ocean, that would
Iimmeasurably increase the dangers
of that ocean being used as an ave-
nue. of advance by any potential
|enemy. And Alaska is on that
ocean; it would unquestionably in-
crease the dangers to Alaska as well
as it would to the State of Cali
fornia, the State Of Washington,
and oregon, Central and South
America.
Denies Feeling Of InsubordinatiOn.
Senator Hickenlooper - General.
as you are well aware, there have
been certain statements and claims
made by people publicly that you
were recalled because of what they
termed INSTRUMENTATION. You per-
haps have seen statements in the
press made by certain people to
that effect.
I would like to ask you whether
or not at any time you received any
communication from any official
superior either suggesting that you
might be guilty of characterization
or suggesting that any course of
action Of yours might be consid-
cred insubordination.
In other words, did any body warn
you that you might be guilty of
INSTRUMENTATION?
Gen. MacArthur-I hadn't the
faintest idea Of it. I am not con-
scious of having even tread close
to any such thing.
Senator Hicken1ooper- This
is another question that goes to the
matter of opinion, General. The
longer this situation in Korea re-
mains indecisive, would you give
us your opinion on the effect of the
confidence and the trust which
other nations in the orient may
have in the United States.
In other words, are they getting
shaky toward us the longer the in
decisiveness in Korea occurs, Or
Gen. MacArthur-If the Unit
ed States doesn't bring the Korean
war to a decisive and victorious
end, she will have to accept all of
the consequences of a disastrous
defeat.
Senator Hickenlooper - General.
this is going back just little way,
but you were the commander in the
Far East and I believe the Supreme
Commander in the Pacific in the
closing days of the last war, at
least against the Japanese; were
you not?
Gen. MacArthur-I was Supreme
Commander in the Southwest Pa
cific area. ).
Senator Hickenlooper-Well, the
question I want to ask you is this
how long before the first atomic
bomb was dropped on Hiroshima
were you told it was going to be
dropped? .-
Gen. MacArthur-As far as I re-
call, it was a short time AS far
as I recall, Gen. Spaatz came out
there and informed me that the
bomb was to be dropped. I should
say that was 10 days or two weeks
before the bomb was actually
dropped.
Senator Hickenlooper-General,
have some questions that have
been submitted to me by some