being tested by those who threaten peace
and freedom everywhere.

This has not been the first test for us and for the free world.
Probably it will not be the last. But as we meet each test with
courage and unity, we contribute to the safety and the honor of our
beloved land--and to the cause of a just and lasting peace.

4. President Eisenhower's Letter to Premier Khrushchev,

September 13, 1958

DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: I have your letter of September 7. I agree
with you that a dangerous situation exists in the Taiwan area. I do
not agree with you as to the source of danger in this situation.

The present state of tension in the Taiwan area was created directly
by Chinese Communist action, not by that of the Republic of China or
by the United States. The fact is that following a long period of
relative calm in that area, the Chinese Communists, without
provocation, suddenly initiated a heavy artillery bombardment of
Quemoy and began harassing the regular supply of the civilian and
military population of the Quemoys. This intense military activity was
begun on August 23rd--some three weeks after your visit to Peiping.
The official Peiping Radio has repeatedly been announcing that the
purpose of these military operations is to take Taiwan (Formosa) as
well as Quemoy and Matsu, by armed force. In virtually every Peiping
broadcast, Taiwan (Formosa) and the offshore islands are linked as the
objective of what is called the "Chinese Peoples Liberation Army".

The issue, then, is whether the Chinese Communists will seek to
achieve their ambitions through the application of force, as they did
in Korea, or whether they will accept the vital requisite of world
peace and order in a nuclear age and renounce the use of force as the
means for satisfying their territorial claims. The territory concerned
has never been under the control of Communist China. On the contrary,
the Republic of China--despite the characterizations you apply to it
for ideological reasons--is recognized by the majority of the
sovereign nations of the world and its Government has been and is
exercising jurisdiction over the territory concerned. United States
military forces operate in the Taiwan area in fulfillment of treaty
commitments to the Republic of China to assist it in the defense of
Taiwan (Formosa) and the Penghu (Pescadores) Islands. They are there
to help resist aggression--not to commit aggression. No upside down
presentation such as con