79-01-A2

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Taiwan I

Transcript Someone once said every form of government has a single characteristic which forms the basis for its power; if that is lost, the government falls. Monarchy, for example, is based on the affection and respect of the people for the royal family. When the respect and affection disappear, the monarchy falls. Dictatorship is based on fear. It is successful only so long as the people fear the dictator. In a democracy the underlying principle is virtue. When that is lost, the democracy fails. There came a moment in World War II when the Japanese offered Chiang Kai-shek a separate peace on the most generous terms. He of course knew that the Chinese Communists in Northern China had an army ready and waiting to seize power -- as they subsequently did. The Japanese offer must have been tempting to the Generalissimo. He could have turned his full attention to the Red army and guaranteed the continuation of his regime. The Japanese of course would have been able to throw their entire army fighting on the mainland of China against our forces in the South Pacific. Chiang Kai-shek told our General Wedemeyer of the Japanese offer and of his refusal to make a separate peace. He said that he could not betray his friend and ally, the United States: that he would fight to the end by our side. In spite of all the platitudes. the reiteration of arguments that the declaration by the President, December 15th, was simply "recognizing reality." One fact remains clear: The United States for the first time in its history, broke a treaty without cause. We callously betrayed a long time friend and ally which had refused to betray us. And we did so with brutal rudeness. During the two years of the Carter administration, there has been a deliberate snubbing of the government of Taiwan. An Asian journey by our Vice President took in most of the Western Pacific except Taiwan. We sent no representative to the inauguration of the President of the Republic of China, the son of Chiang Kai-shek. And, in December there was no consultation with him, warning him of Mr. Carter's decision to accept the terms laid down by the Communists in Peking. What our government did was entirely lacking in virtue. This is Ronald Reagan. Thanks for listening.		Details Batch Number 79-01-A2 Production Date 01/??/1979 Book/Page RihoH-61 Audio Youtube? No
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