E} - TOP SECR:! Eisenhower: Papers, 1953-61 (Ann Whitman file) The Vice President then said that he had no objection to the proposed study on "Africa in Transition" if it was understood that it was not being made to provide the basis for determining specific ‘courses of U. S. political action in this area. The Vice President then indicated that he had another point to make. He believed that he detected a tendency in the pres- ent report (NSC 5719) to underestimate the seriousness of the Commun- ist threat Im Africa. After all, we do not have to count only cardbearing Comaunists es a measure of the Communist threat. In Africa, the Vice Fresident predicted, the Cormunists will clothe themselves in Isl:.mic, racist, anti-racist, or nationalist clothing. The potential danger of Cormnmist penetration he believed to be very great, Lecause the Conzmnists were alweys in a position to support end teke advantage of extremist elements, where the United States could not ao so. The Vice President indicated that he did not mean that his warning required a change in NSC 5719. Secretary Herter said that he was very glad that the Vice President had brought up this point ebout the Comminist danger, because it was a point which he himself wished to speak of along the seme lines. Secretary Herter continued by saying that he believed that the statement in peregraph 17 on tege 12 of NS7 5719 was too cptimistic, and he therefere sugsested the addition of lensuage shien vould indicate that the potential Ccormunist threat to Africa wes grzater than the actual threat at the present tine. In support of Secretary Herter's views, the Vice President cited varicus instances in different parts of Africa where the Com- sunists had been effective in securing the support of verious elements of the popniation. Fea went on to speak of the motter of Fayp- tian influence in Africa South of the Sahara. The Vice Fresident believed thst the Egyptians had already acquired tremendous influnee in the Suden, and would frem that point carry their influence further scuth. Much the seme vas true of the widespread Tndian influcace in Black Africa. Neither the Eeyptian nor the Tndien influ- enee shovid be overlooked, because both wight be used erfectively by the Corsnmists. General Tyining indicated that the Joint Chiefs of Staff oan vere inclined to the view that the statersnt a the military end strategic value of Africa South of the Sehara, es set forth in paragraphs 19 and 20 on page 13, played down somewhat the strategic importance of the area, although the Joint Chiefs were not recommending any -9- we [ ‘ a> "7 Y * REPRODUCED AT THE DWIGHT, D. BISENHOWER LIBRAR The Fresident ssid he shovld have thought that the inflvence of Isltem ta ceneral would tbe anti-Conmnist rather than pro-Commumist. szral Cabell replied that the President wes correct, but that the venee of Tslam could be manipulated in favor of Corrmnism, as, for aveaple, in Egypt today. TOP. SB0RET