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24 PEACE i VIETNAM economic revolution in an area, can offer constructive aid free from the threat of accompanying political or military intervention, the governments it is dealing with can develop independently in the spirit of the nationalism that gave them their first impetus. The example of eastern Europe illustrates the importance of United States policy in this matter, A gradual development of more or less independent attitudes in international affairs on the part of the eastern European countries came after the Hungarian revolt in 1956. The failure of the United States to intervene at the time demonstrated that it was not prepared to carry through with its previously declared intention to assist in the “liberation” of the “captive nations.” Thus not only have the leaders of these countries felt less compelled to seek the protection of the Soviet Union, but the Soviet Union itself has been more willing to relax its hold over them. As a result, the tendency toward extreme po- larization in Europe, represented by NATO and the Warsaw Pact, has been eased, and the chances for peace in Europe now appear greater than at any time since World War Il. Increased inde- pendence on the part of eastern European countries, although made possibie by these circumstances, stems primarily from their divergent national interests. No matter what ideological ties may exist between Communists, once a Communist party is in power, it finds itself moved to meet the needs of its own people apart from the interest of the associated Communist countries as a whole. The obvious reluctance of both the Soviet Union and the eastern European countries to commit themselves to all-out sup- port of the North Vietnamese and National Liberation Front stems in large measure from this fact. Some mav demur that to sugoest ahandonment of nresent Amer- SORTER SRSRT yp Mrteerere SERGI BAe Eyre Aenea eee Wk Bek ee CR = ican policy in Southeast Asia in favor of an all-out emphasis on constructive socioeconomic aid is an oversimplification of the prob- lems involved. They well may ask whether it is possible that the United States need only withdraw its support of status quo regimes in order io have them give way to progressive governments ready and able to bring about immediate socioeconomic revolutions, and at the same time willing to seek the aid of the United States. Of course the process is by no means so simple. The task facing any government committed to bringing about fundamental change in