PM Lee Kuan Yew arrives in Washington D. C.

Then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew arrived in Washington D. C. on 17 October 1967 to begin his 11-day visit of the United States.^[1] It was Lee’s first trip to the country after Singapore became an independent nation in August 1965, and part of a five-week international tour that had taken him to Malta, Switzerland and Britain earlier.^[2] The objective of Lee’s visit to the United States was not to seek economic or military aid. Instead, Lee wanted to gauge the public opinion of the American people as well as the United States government’s resolution concerning Vietnam. This was to enable him to assess for himself the situation Singapore would have to face in the following decade, especially after the withdrawal of British troops from Singapore.^[3]

Upon his arrival in Washington D. C., Lee was given a red carpet welcome with full military honours at the White House by then United States President Lyndon B. Johnson.^[4] Thereafter, both leaders proceeded to discuss a number of issues such as the political development in Vietnam, the stability of Southeast Asia and the region’s pace of economic development. They agreed that a stable and peaceful international order could only be achieved if all nations respected each other’s sovereignty and treated each other equally with mutual respect.^[5] Besides President Johnson, Lee also held talks with a number of senior officials in Washington D. C., including then Secretary of State Dean Rusk, then Secretary of Defence Robert McNamara and then Vice President Hubert Humphrey.^[6] He also met with members of the Overseas Writers, sharing with them his view that there would be an eventual power shift to the East and Southeast Asian region once there is stability and regional cooperation.^[7]

After spending two days in Washington D. C., Lee visited other American cities, including New York, Boston, St Louis, Chicago, San Francisco and Los Angeles.^[8] In New York, Lee met then United Nations Secretary-General U Thant and also gave a speech to the Far East American Council during which he called upon the United States to form a new relationship with Southeast Asia based on equality.^[9] Lee also spoke before the Far East-American Council of Commerce and Industry, Inc. where he encouraged American companies to invest in Singapore.^[10] Lee’s last stop was the Hawaiian city of Honolulu where he rested for a few days before returning to Singapore on 2 November 1967.^[11]

References
1. LBJ gives Lee red carpet welcome. (1967, October 18). The Straits Times, p. 1. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
2. Mr. Lee off today for Malta, U.S. and Britain. (1967, September 26). The Straits Times, p. 5. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
3. Josey, A. (2012). Lee Kuan Yew: The crucial years (p. 399). Singapore: Marshall Cavendish Editions. Call no.: RSING 959.5705092 JOS.
4. The Straits Times, 18 Oct 1967, p. 1.
5. Josey, 2012, pp. 396–398.
6. Lee to urge LBJ: Carry on in Vietnam. (1967, October 16). The Straits Times, p. 1. Retrieved from NewspaperSG .
7. Josey, 2012, pp. 399-400.
8. Lee to urge LBJ: Carry on in Vietnam. (1967, October 16). The Straits Times, p. 1. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
9. Lee-Thant talks on Vietnam and Mid-East. (1967, October 23). The Straits Times, p. 1. Retrieved from NewspaperSG; Josey, 2012, pp. 400–401.
10. A ‘soft sell’ talk to US tycoons. (1967, October 21). The Straits Times, p. 11. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
11. The US visit: A five-star success. (1967, October 29). The Straits Times, p. 1. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.