Word: achesons
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...Would Not Wish." For his part, Acheson answered questions in a polite but decisive way, was exceedingly careful not to be clever, apparently having learned that a debater's victory often costs more support than it wins. He had a lawyer's skilled command of himself and his case. He avoided any personal criticism of Douglas MacArthur, pointed out that there had been no differences between them in the administration of Japan,_and on the specific ground of his dismissal, carefully explained: "I would not wish you to think that I am in any way saying that...
...Acheson argued that it was nothing but "policy information paper" for the guidance of U.S. propaganda efforts and he cited the first paragraph, which read: "To formulate information policy which will minimize damage to United States prestige and others' morale by the possible fall of Formosa to the Chinese Communist forces." Acheson made no attempt to defend what the directive said as the truth: it was just propaganda, and therefore-at least in his interpretation- permissible playing with the truth...
Chin Up. In the fall of 1949, said Acheson, "it was the clear, unequivocal recommendations of the military services that we could not employ any of our forces for the defense of Formosa [see box]. It was estimated that no amount of U.S. aid short of military occupation and control would insure Taiwan's indefinite survival as a non-Communist area . . . Without U.S. military occupation and control, Taiwan,* like the rest of China, probably would be under the Communist Chinese control...
...Acheson's plea to the joint committee was that the paper should not now be published because "the U.S.S.R. could use it to discredit the information program...
There was one other flare-up, but it soon fizzled. Wisconsin's Alexander Wiley, who had got his fingers burned when he tried to compel General Omar Bradley to repeat confidential conversations with the President, edged back to the subject with long tongs in his hand. Acheson likewise refused. "I am under direct instructions of the President of the U.S. not to repeat what was said at these meetings at his office," he said...