A Letter From The Publisher: Feb. 19, 1965

THEY traveled most of the way in a chartered Air France Boeing 707, the plane used by Charles de Gaulle on overseas trips. In fact, it contains a king-size bed for the general. The travelers did not meet De Gaulle, but they met just about everybody else of importance along their routeĀ—one king, three presidents, five prime ministers, Cabinet ministers, generals, princes, ambassadors and assorted specialists.

The trip was TIME'S News Tour of Asia, and it took 28 U.S. business and professional leaders to a crucial theater of world events. The purpose was to...

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