Roscoe Drummond, October 15, 1962
“The United States may win the battle against Castro but lose the war against communism in South America. All power at the disposal of the Pentagon will not be sufficient to break the penetration of communism to Latin America if economic and social injustices are allowed to continue.
“The Soviet block is pouring $100 million a year into agitation and propaganda in a massive effort to exploit grave social injustice.”
“Castro can be quarantined by force, but communism cannot. The only weapons equal to the larger threat are economic and political, and apart from subversion, the only enemy is economic stagnation and explosive social frustration, both of which are on the march across the whole faces of South America.”
“It is essential that the United States actively support Latin American democracies. I am convinced that the United States will do more to win long-term support and respect by remaining true to itself and actively standing against dictatorships in every form or guise. Some Latin American groups and politicians will rant against us for interference, but most South American people will say ‘Thank God,’ at first under their breath and later openly.”
