Reischauer Asks U.S. To Be Outside Friend Of Asian Nationalism

In an article released today in Look Magazine, Edwin O. Reischauer, University Professor and former ambassador to Japan, said that the United States should change its Asian role from leader to "outside friend."

Reischauer stated that the United States has ignored the fact that nationalism stands as the chief barrier to a Communist takeover of Asia. He argued that, instead of working against Asian nationalism, the U.S. should foster it by offering greater economic and technical aid.

Advising a long term view, Reischauer warned the United States against becoming identified with any particular Asian political regime. In his view, the Vietnamese war is the result of shortsighted decisions made since 1945 in the absence of a concrete Asian policy.

Undercurrents

"We should be extremely chary about committing our military power in Asia, because it is so relatively ineffective and stirs up undercurrents," he said.

Referring to China, Reischauer stated that American policy should be more concerned with encouraging her re-entry into the world. He called China a "fading menace" and said that the United States should stop trying to "blackball" in the United Nations, the largest non-white country."