On 11th October 1949, Jawaharlal went on an official visit to U.S.A. His past efforts met with marked approval in U.S. and by the beginning of 1949, the country had a general acclaim for Nehruji.
The ‘Sun’ commented on Nehruji—
“He is in many ways the most impressive statesman to emerge on the post-war scene. His greatness is the greatness of a man who is neither exclusively Oriental nor Occidental, politician nor ascetic, highbrow nor dire poor. Pandit Nehru is in part all of these things, and he speaks as a man who has straddled two worlds, two philosophies and two standards of living. The key to Nehru’s greatness as a statesman is his ability to leave past conflicts behind him as he enters new situations.”
India needed the assistance of the U.S. particularly in food, machinery and capital goods. Nehru was certain that India is her own way was of some importance to the U.S., there was not at that time another country in Asia which had anything near the strength of India. Nehruji therefore decided that, while in the U.S., he would remain his natural self, be friendly and talk frankly about the need for American assistance, not in any pleading tone but with confidence, conscious of India’s position in the world and with faith in her future.
His speech to the joint session of Congress on 13th October—“Where freedom is menaced or justice threatened or where aggression takes place, we cannot be and shall not be neutral.”
In a broadcast he said—
“When man’s liberty & peace is in danger we cannot and shall not be neutral; neutrality would be a betrayal of what we have fought for and stand for.” He hoped for close ties with the U.S.; but the most intimate ties are ties which are not ties said to journalists in New York.
In this way speeches and meetings kept him busy for 3 weeks. Huge crowds turned out to receive him with demonstrative acclaim wherever he went. People applauded him like a histine figure. He brought fresh vistas of a continent striving once more towards the common goals of justice, liberty and peace. His visit punctuated in the middle by a short stay in Canada.
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