Address by President Harry S. Truman

XXXII# 137 TRUMAN HOLD FOR RELEASE HOLD FOR RELEASE HOLD FOR RELEASE APRIL 11, 1951 CONFIDENTIAL: The following address of the President, to be broad- casit from the White House MUST BE HELD IN STRICT CONFIDENCE until release time - 10.30 p.m., est., April 11, 1951. Release is auto- matic at 10.30 p.m., est. EXTREME CARE MUST BE EXERCISED TO AVOID PREMATURE PUBLICATION OR RADIO ANNOUNCEMENT and no portion, synopsis or intimation may be given-out, broadcast or published until release time. JOSEPH SHORT Secretary to the President I want to talk plainly to you tonight about what we are doing in Korea and about our policy in the Far East. In the simplest terms, what we are doing in Korea is this: We are trying to prevent a Third World War. I think most people in this country recognized that fact last June. And they warmly supported the decision of the Govern- ment to help the Republic of Korea against the communist aggressors. Now, many persons, even some who applauded our decision to defend Korea, have forgotten the basic reason for our action. It is right for us to be in Korea. It was right last June. It is right today. I want to remind you why this is true. The communists in the Kremlin are engaged in a monstrous conspiracy to stamp out freedom all over the world. If they were to succeed, the United States would be numbered among their principal victins. It must be clear to everyone that the United States cannot and will not -- sit idly by and await foreign conquest. The only question is: When is the best time to meet the threat and how? bre The best time to meet the threat is in the beginning. It is easier to put out a fire in the beginning when it is small than after it has become a roaring blaze. And the best way to meet the threat of aggression is for the peace-loving nations to act together. If they don't act to- gether, they are likely to be picked off, one by one. If they had followed the right policies in the 1930's -- if the free countries had acted together, to crush the aggression of the dictators, and if they had acted in the beginning, when the aggression was small there probably would have been no World War II. losd eforw If history has taught us anything, it is that aggression anywhere in the world is a threat to peace everywhere in the world. When that aggression is supported by the cruel and selfish rulers of a powerful nation who are bent on conquest, it becomes a clear and present danger to the security and independence of every free nation. (OVER