CO129-622-9 Material for 'vetting' for lecture 9-11-1949 - 14-11-1949 — Page 26

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di ficult circumstances.

Further, as I have already said, she has to the best of her

ability co-operated over the Malaya problem.

13. BURMA

It is difficult in my view to give any really useful brief

review of BURMA and the sorry spectacle she presents to-day. While

I admit that I do not know the people well, my impression is that

here we have a so-called independent nation touched only by, but

far from steeped in, Western civilisation. An arrogant people

•

though what they have to be arrogant about is to me a mystery

obstinate and fearful of accepting help from outside. A country

rift by internal dissent, where since the granting of independence

two years ago security of any sort has utterly disappeared.

Yet it is a land that should, by virtue of its considerable population, its great natural wealth and its geographical position,

be giving a lead in Far Eastern events.

Militant Communism has raised its ugly head there, and of all

the countries in that area I think that Burma is the most prone to

be saturated by Communism.

14. "THE RICE COUNTRIES"

SUMMARY

Never-

What I have said about these three countries goes to show that in my view they present a good target for Communism. theless it is there that the advance of those doctrines from the North should be halted. It is there that we should build up the buffer against that advance, and a great effort should be made to achieve this by all who favour the Western interpretation of a

democratic way of life.

That may be the answer.

it is a very complex problem.

Indeed I thinkit is, but to achieve

First of all I believe that we

must. get these countries to look to us by us implying the

Western Powers - as their supporters and friends, and build up

/their