Thus, the President described the probable outcome of a full-scale nuclear war between the big military powers of the world. This fear has been stated by many other military leaders in this country and in others, as the scientific advancement in the field of munitions progresses with uncanny speed. The words of the President in this twentieth century sound somewhat like those of Jesus himself, who described the days we are in as “affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be.”
The Master further related that “except that the Lord had shortened those days. No flesh should be saved : but for the elect’s sake whom He hath chosen, He hath shortened those days” (Mark 13:19,20).
This period of hostility will give rise to those circumstances that will cause men’s hearts to fail for looking after those things which are coming on the earth. It is, and has been recognised for some time now, that the prospect of war carries with it such devastating ramifications, that high officials hope they will present a reliable deterrent to war.
Crisis after crises has arisen ever since the first atomic explosion that ended World War II. It has been Russia’s policy to keep the free world in a period of unrest and apprehension, as she wages her methodical cold war.
The main issue facing the world today is the Berlin situation, in which Russia is set to turn over the reigns of government to Communist East Berlin. To America and Britain, West Berlin has become a symbol of the free world. Her prosperity in contrast to that of Eastern Germany is a continual sore spot to the Kremlin, and Russia would like to see all of Germany united, under Communist influence.
As this edition goes to press, British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan is due in the United States after visiting Moscow, Paris and Bonn, in a diplomatic tour designed to clear up his position on the Berlin crisis. It is expected that Macmillan will press for a top level meeting here between Russia and the representatives of the West.
Back on November 27, last year, Nikita Khrushchev had vehemently announced that in six months Russia would hand over all its occupation functions in Germany, including control over Western access to West Berlin, to the East German Communists. Such a move among other things was designed to force the West into recognition of the East Germany Communist government.
As the zero hour draws near, Russia is becoming uneasy, for the West has refused to back away from the ominous threat of war involved in the enforcement of this edict.
As plans got underway for a top level meeting to discuss a reasonable solution to this situation, Khrushchev seized upon the opportunity to extend the deadline well beyond the May 27 date. In Leipzig, he casually said that a Foreign Ministers’ conference on Berlin should not last “more than two or three months,” hence prolonging the deadline indefinitely. As the West became more adamant in their position on Germany, Khrushchev was observed to have become a bit more conciliatory in his demands. He first protested to a Foreign Ministers’ meeting, then conceded that such a meeting could possibly be arranged, but on Soviet terms.
One suggestion made by Russia: “We would not mind even if U.S., British, French and Soviet troops—or some neutral countries —maintained minimum forces in West Berlin.” The statement was cooly received by Berlin’s Mayor Brandt, who branded the proposal as a scheme to get Soviet troops into West Berlin, and “cook the city over a slow fire.”
What would be the free world’s reaction to Russia’s enforced evacuation of Berlin and closing of free air lanes to the city ? First, there would be a major risk of war—not just a minor skirmish, but an out and out war. The Russians are just seemingly beginning to realise this. An attempt to defend her position in Germany with the use of arms would invariably lead to war. The most logical pursuit would be a serious bargaining session at a Foreign Ministers’ level, and possibly a summit meeting between Eisenhower and Khrushchev. At this time it seems certain that the firm position adopted by Britain and America will force Russia into abandoning her withdrawal. Those who have visited Russia say that she does not want war—at this time, at least.
Berlin is just another crisis following others, as one commentator put it, like the beads on a string, in an endeavour to wear out the free world in a cold war of nerves. History has repeated itself many times in the past few years as Communism, like a malignant force, spreads throughout the world.
In 1950, the world experienced the Korean War, which was not terminated until July of 1953. In the same year, a revolt flared in East Berlin, and found Soviet troops flown in to curb the rebellion. At that time the Western states remained aloof. The next year the Communists raised a crisis in Formosa and Quemoy by shelling the offshore islands. This was part of a plan to rid the Western Pacific of the United States.
The bombing was taken up again in 1958, amid threats and promises of retaliation from Russia if the U.S., did not stop intervening. In 1956, the world stood by and saw a small Communist satellite revolt against its overlords. The Hungarian revolt, though doomed to failure like the ‘Berlin revolt three years earlier, Was a valiant fight for liberation against immeasurable odds. Lebanon and Quemoy in 1958 both led the world to a brink-of-war stage —and both the outcome of Communist influence. Today, the world is confronted with another situation posing a real threat to man’s existence.
Each succeeding crisis becomes more serious, because of the development of more powerful and devastating weapons. With the perfection of Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles that is bound to be reached by mid-1960’s, the margin of time between the detection of attack and retaliation narrows. As this margin narrows (at the present time it is estimated to be about 30 minutes) the chance of a mistake increases. The mere preparation for an attack may well constitute the basis for a retaliatory move when detected and plunge the nations into a state of blazing inferno.
Surely, Christ’s allusion to “wars and Rumours of wars” fit the conditions in the world today. The strength of the cold war now being staged is the fear of out and out war it installs in the hearts of the people. Secretary of State Dulles’ phrase, “brink of war,” may well be the by-word of the day.
The fact that Jesus said the end would not be during this period of rumours, but rather in the very midst of conflict serves to remind us that our brink of war times is ultimately to give way to global conflict when He gathers all nations together to battle.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One