USTDC

Photo of USTDC courtesy of Les Duffin

Friday, April 16, 2010

The Official Word in March 1978

I found the following article in the March 28, 1978 edition of the Lodi (California) News-Sentinel.  This was only about nine months before President James Earl Carter announced the US withdrawal of all American forces from Taiwan, but the feeling at TDC was that "...we're probably two years away from folding up."  It's just my opinion, but I think at that point in time, they really believed it.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yet again, here we see how the non-President Carter made one of the biggest mistakes in US foreign policy. It is a shame he made such a foolish decision. In the end, he got duked by the Chicoms. And now, the US has nothing to negotiate with the Chicoms... Carter should have been put on trial.

Anonymous said...

I'm never sure whether I'm more angry at Carter for WHAT he did, or for the ham-handed, ignorant WAY he did it. How many other U.S. allies must have wondered if they too would one day be treated in such a shabby fashion?
And I chuckled when I read the prediction that TDC had two more years of life before the plug would finally be pulled. When I left in July 1978 I told my replacement that I doubted he would complete a two-year tour, but I figured he would at least make it through the first year. It turned out I was wrong too.

Anonymous said...

When did Lin Kou close, Feb
77?

Don said...

Yes, Linkou closed in 1977. To see what it looked like in the years following closure, go to this page at the "Dawgs" website: http://shulinkou.tripod.com/dawg2h.html

Anonymous said...

In addition to the bungling of the Taiwan issue, let's not forget the total inept way Carter handled Iran. A 48 hr ultimatum of full retaliatory force to free the US Embassy would have completely changed the dynamics of Islamic fundamentalism. IMHO, Carter was a very honorable man, but clearly out of his league as President. I was glad he only lasted one term...

J Hurst