already constitutes the initial phase of World War III.
In response to a question about where the fighting in Vietnam might lead, Thant said: "In my view, if the present trend continues, I am afraid direct confrontation first of all between Washington and Peking is inevitable. I hope I am wrong. I am afraid we are witnessing today the initial phase of World War III.
"If you recall the series of events leading to World War I and World War II, you will realize that the prologues were quite long; what I mean is, the psychological climate, the creation of political attitudes, took some time and when conditions were ripe for some plausible excuse, then the global wars were triggered.
"In my view we are witnessing today similar conditions.
"I am really concerned about the potentialities of this war, knowing as I do the mood not only of the principal parties primarily involved but also some of the parties not directly involved at present.
"That is why I say that if the present trend continues, a direct confrontation between Washington and Peking is inevitable and I am afraid that we are witnessing today the initial phase of World War III.
"I must say in this context that the mutual defense pact between Moscow and Peking is still in force."
Arthur J. Goldberg, Johnson's representative to the United Nations, at once issued a counterstatement, since it was taken in Washington that Thant's grim conclusion was directed mainly at the Johnson administration which has refused to meet his appeal to halt the bombing.
Goldberg asserted that "we do not share his current assessment of the situation in Vietnam." Then like the highly skilled attorney that he is, he talked fast and furiously about the peaceful aims of his government and its desire to engage in "negotiations."
The "current assessment" in the Pentagon is that they can get away with further escalation of the war in view of the "peaceful coexistence" attitude of the Kosygin-Brezhnev regime and tke political crisis in China. Both powers will issue strong denunciations of .the U.S. for the sake of the record, the Pentagon calculates, but will not really come to the aid of the Vietnamese in an effective way.
The Pentagon's assessment, which the generals have sought to test step by step, has led to more and more extensive commitment of U.S. troops until they are now engaged in a big war on the Asian mainland, with all signs pointing to deepening and spreading the conflict.
The question that Thant raises is, "Has the point of no return been reached?" His fear is that Johnson has already gone so far that now the logic of war is taking over as it did in World War I and World War II.