Evening star., 1955-02-20
By John M. Hishtower

ana JoHn M. HtyHIOtOeT w wa
By John N. Hishtower
@. Why should the United
States defend Form0sa?
A. The Judgment Of the Joint
Chiefs of staff and President
Eisenhower is that Formosa Il
an essential unit in the Japan
Philippines island barrier which
makes the Pacific an American
lake"
@. When did FOrmosa attain
such strategic importance to tht
United States?
A. During the Truman admin
istration and prior to the start
of the Korean war in June, 1850
the President and the Joint
Chiefs held that Formosa was
important to American security
but not essential" enough to
fight for. When the Korean wal
started, President Truman or
dered the 7th Fleet to peutralize
and protect Formosa because II
was on the flank Of United
States forces fighting in Korea;
President Eisenhower hardened
the Truman naturalization
policy into fight If necessary
policy.
@. If United States and Com.
inunist forces clash in the For
mosa Strait could the fighting
spread to the Chinese mainland? ?
s. A. The fighting would almost
certainly spread to the mainland
since Red aircraft would have
their bases there. During the
evacuation of the Tachen Islands
United States fighter pilots had
"hot pursuit" orders: that is, II
Red planes had attacked, Amer
ican fighters could have chased
them back to their bases if nec-
essary to destroy them. Similar
orders are expected to apply in
any future United States opera
tions.
In addition, President Eisen-
hover has authority to order di-
rect attacks on any Red force
concentrations on the mainland
If he considers that necessary
to defend Formosa.
@. If the war spreads to the
mainland is 1t likely to bring
on World War III?
A. It could do so if each side
threw in more forces and the
area of fighting spread from the
coastal region to include all of
Red China and the United States
bases in the Western Pacific. II
Russia assisted Red China with
combat forces, World War III
would be at hand. However, the
United States and Britain be-
lieve Russia prefers not to get
involved in a great war now
@. Who really owns Formosa? I?
= "A. The Nationalists and the
Communists both regard For
ss1losa as Chinese. The United
States contends the ownership is
unsettled.
q Japan won Formosa from
China so years ago. During
World War II at the Cairo con-
ference, a Roosevelt Churchill
Chang Kai-shek agreement
stated the island would he re-
turned to China. At the end OF
the war Chang took possession
Of Formosa, then personally fled
there when the Communist
n1opped up the mainland
I The Japanese peace treaty,
which became effective in 1852,
wiped out all Japanese rights to
Formosa. But it did not assign
those rights to any other ma
ton. Legally this left Formosa
In a state of suspension. Secre-
tary Dulles argues that the Reds
have no claim on the island.
@. Who owns the islands held
by the Nationalists along the
Red China coast:
A. The coastal islands are In
Q different category from For
mosa. No one has ever ques-
toned that they are legally
Chinese territory. These islands,
held by more than 100000 Of
Chiang's troops. stretch from
Nanchi in the north through the
Matsu group to Quemoy in the
south. a distance Of about 200
miles. Britain says these is
lands belong to the Chinese
Reds and should be surrendered
by the Nationalists. The United
States says their surrender now
would smack Of appeasement OF
aggressive communism.
@. What practical difference
does 1t make who possesses the
Quemoy and Matsu islands?
A. So long as the Chinese Reds
threaten to conquer Formosa, the
Quemoys and Matsus. which are
the key groups in the coastal
chain, are important Formosa
defense positions. If the Red
threat were ended by q peace
settlement, they would lose that
military importance. The United
States has decided not to help
Generalissimo Chang Kai-shek
hang on to Quemoy and Matsu
simply to keep his flag flying
there. But it probably would
help him defend them against
O massive Red military attack.
@. Why doesn't President Ell
senhower or Secretary Dulles say
Hatly whether the United States
will defend Quemoy and Matsu?
A. They want to be free to
make the choice-to fight or
not--when the need for possible
United States action arises. Ba-
sically they are interested in
keeping Formosa and the nearby
Pescadores Islands in friendly
hands. They are only interested
In the Quemoys and the Matsus
TO the extent those islands serve
Formosa's defense. =
@. Are Quemoy and Matsu
militarily defensible?
A. Last September. when the