While in That Corner

The Vietnam crisis is being presented in the usual modern manner: as if history were suspended everywhere else on the globe while the spotlight focuses, this time, on Southeast Asia, as in prior scenes on Berlin, Taiwan, the Congo, Suez or Greece. In some degree, sometimes, this theatrical effect corresponds to objective reality, since it is actually the case that the attention of the comparatively small number of men directing the major governments cannot be spread everywhere at once. It tends therefore to concentrate on a single area at a time, where the problem seems most troublesome, acute and consequential. But often this singlescene impression is merely the image reflected by the distorting mirror of press and radio-TV. Areas X and Y do not in truth go to sleep just because area Z is getting the headlines and special features.

I do not mean to suggest that Southeast Asia is not the most important area of the world right now. It is—partly just because so many people think it so. And the decision our government makes with respect to Southeast Asia is the most important decision now pending. But history continues elsewhere.

JB

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James Burnham

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The Vietnam crisis is being presented in the usual modern manner: as if history were suspended everywhere else on the globe while the spotlight focuses, this time, on Southeast Asia, as in prior scenes on Berlin, Taiwan, the Congo, Suez or Greece. In some degree, sometimes, this theatrical effect corresponds to objective reality, since it is actually the case that the attention of the comparatively small number of men directing the major governments cannot be spread everywhere at once. It tends therefore to concentrate on a single area at a time, where the problem seems most troublesome, acute and consequential. But often this singlescene impression is merely the image reflected by the distorting mirror of press and radio-TV. Areas X and Y do not in truth go to sleep just because area Z is getting the headlines and special features.

I do not mean to suggest that Southeast Asia is not the most important area of the world right now. It is—partly just because so many people think it so. And the decision our government makes with respect to Southeast Asia is the most important decision now pending. But history continues elsewhere.