<--PREV Doc #504  |  Memorial Commission Home Page  |  First Term Table of Contents  |  Presidential Papers Home Page  |  Doc#  |  NEXT--> Doc #506 Document #505; October 31, 1953 To Hugh Roy Cullen Series: EM, AWF, DDE Diaries Series The Papers of Dwight David Eisenhower, Volume XIV - The Presidency: The Middle Way Part III: The Space Age Begins; October 1957 to January 1958 Chapter 6: Building strength when there is "no perfect answer"   Dear Roy:1 I read your letter with interest, although I must say I was surprised by some of your comments. We are working for a just and peaceful solution in Korea but I am astonished by your implied fear that, meanwhile, my associates and I might fail to keep up our guard.2 So far as this Administration, at least, is concerned, there is only one reason for participating in the United Nations and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. That reason is found in the stark knowledge that no single country today--not even the United States--could protect herself and carry on productive activity if all other countries should fall under the domination of the Communists. Until this fact is understood and digested, there is no possibility of devising an acceptable American answer to our international problems. We have joined these organizations to advance the welfare of the United States and to enhance our own security through mutual defense efforts with free and friendly powers.3 Sincerely 1 For background on Texas businessman Cullen see Galambos, NATO and the Campaign of 1952, no. 243. Presidential Assistant Paul T. Carroll drafted this letter. 2 Cullen had written on October 27 (WHCF/OF 196) of a suspected Communist buildup of troops and construction of airfields since the armistice. Citing an earlier prediction that the Chinese Communists, if given the time to prepare, would "then proceed to drive our boys into the ocean," Cullen advocated the destruction of these forces and the subsequent unification of Korea. He also warned of the "befuddled minds" of those in government service "who by their selfishness or stupidity, would weaken this country so Communism could take over with little effort." 3 Cullen had concluded, "Our only salvation is to forget the World Union, the United Nations, and the Atlantic Treaty Organization, and think only of the welfare of our country and act accordingly." Bibliographic reference to this document: Eisenhower, Dwight D. To Hugh Roy Cullen, 31 October 1953. In The Papers of Dwight David Eisenhower, ed. L. Galambos and D. van Ee, doc. 505. World Wide Web facsimile by The Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission of the print edition; Baltimore, MD: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1996, http://www.eisenhowermemorial.org/presidential-papers/first-term/documents/505.cfm <--PREV Doc #504  |  Memorial Commission Home Page  |  First Term Table of Contents  |  Presidential Papers Home Page  |  Doc#  |  NEXT--> Doc #506

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