Kefauver had determined to stand firm in Southeast Asia. Vividly recalling the attacks against Truman for “losing” China, Kefauver and Kennedy did not plan to fall victim to an anti-communist opposition, and especially not over a full member of the Pacific Alliance. Moreover, Washington was sensitive to Japan’s need for Southeast Asian markets, which provided both raw materials and a consumer base for its skyrocketing economy. Their commitment to the preservation of South Vietnam’s independence, however, could not simply paper over their unenviable position. In late 1961, the elderly MacArthur told the President that “the chickens are coming home to roost, and you live in the chicken's house.” The General’s evaluation was not far off the mark.