Indo-China is one place where Americans reaped what they sowed. It is a matter of record that the incoming Americans in 1945 supported Ho Chi Minh against the French, the British and any non-Communist Vietnamese. American government at the time was deeply penetrated by Communist agents, of course - Alger Hiss, Harry Dexter White, etc. - and ancient prejudices against "imperialism" joined with sinister new influences to formulate a policy that was, in many areas, definitely anti-Western and pro-Soviet. In the same way, General Eisenhower withdrew his troops from Thuringia and western Bohemia for no reason whatever, making a strategic gift to the Soviets which they were far from reciprocating anywhere. Of course, within three years Hiss and White were on their way out and the Berlin Airlift and the Marshall Plan were on; but by then it was too late for several places, including Vietnam.