August 8, 1984
In 25 Minutes over Paris
On our flight back from Chicago to Zurich, we flew, in the early morning hours, at first over Ireland and then over London. There came an announcement over the loudspeaker on Swissair’s Boeing 747: “In 25 minutes we fly over Paris and in 45 minutes [thereafter] we shall land in Zurich.” At that moment I became aware of how small the West European air space really is, and how vulnerable Europe has become in the age of ballistic missiles.
August 10, 1984
Drifting Apart
The short stay in the United States left behind the following impressions: 1) Economic progress can be seen everywhere, the high living standard is genuine. The country is full with vibrant life. 2) America has become more self-assured, more concentrated on its own and more patriotic. There is little if any interest in foreign countries. A new wave of isolationism is reaching its peak. 3) Although America and Europe are getting more and more similar, one cannot help noticing that at the same time they are also drifting apart from each other.