The Policy of the United States in the Far East

ONE of the most tragic things about is that the armies on both sides believe they are fighting for a righteous cause. Countries go to for various reasons, but they always believe that their national interest or their national prestige is threatened. They may wish to obtain markets or territory or raw materials; they may wish to reestablish old frontiers or obtain an outlet to the sea or a more strategic frontier; they may wish to establish order in neighboring countries or to keep a neighboring country from growing too powerful; a government or a group may wish to make the people forget internal troubles and difficulties. Almost every is looked upon as a of selfdefense by the peoples who are fighting it. Countries sign antiwar pacts but reserve the right to go to in the national defense. No country is ever an aggressor in the eyes of its own people. In the past, the United States has extended its frontiers and attempted to maintain order in neighboring countries by the use of force. At present it is extremely fortunate in that it has none of the problems which usually involve countries in war. The United States has ample territory and resources; it has no threatening neighbors; and no one is challenging its supremacy in the Western Hemisphere. Yet this is not sufficient, because it is important to the United States that there be peace and prosperity in other parts of the world. Otherwise our trade and industry are disturbed, our economy is dislocated, we feel that we must spend on our army and navy sums which might well be spent on social services, and there is always the possibility that in defending our citizens or their property in belligerent areas we ourselves may become involved in war. Now there is also the possibility that in attempting to influence international developments by methods short of war we may find ourselves involved to an extent we had not anticipated

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  Open Access•Stefan Matern•ZPTh – Zeitschrift für Politische…•2023

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