Evening star., 1940-09-29
Indo-Chinu-und Beyond

Japan'S military occupation of the
key points in Tonkin, the northern
province Of French Indo-China,
raises some important questions, un-
derscored by the current signing of
the tri-power accord whereby Ger
many and Italy recognize and back
Japan'S New Order in Greater East
Asia" What is Japan after? Is her
present action merely local, or is it
the opening phase of an ambitious
campaign of aggression throughout
the entire southern portion of the
Far East?
Japans local objective is clear
enough, and the japanese govern
ment has frankly stated that It
wishes to make Tonkin a base of
operations against South China.
From Tonkin, two French owned and
operated railways run northward into
China, the more important of these
being the 500-mile line traversing
the great Chinese province of Yum
nan and terminating at Yunnanfu,
the provincial capital. Before the
opening of the famous Burma Road,
this French railway was the only
practicable route between the in
terror of South China and the outer
world, and until last year it was
much used.
The European war enabled Japan
to put pressure upon France to close
this open door to Free China, and
the French government was even
tually compelled to stop the passage
OF war materials and supplies. When
France collapsed under the German
invasion, Japan promptly demanded
what she now obtains-the military
occupation of Tonkin. Three months
of tense negotiation resulted in a
Franco-Japanese agreement signed
September %, under which Japan
was given the right to establish three
air bases garrisoned by not more
than six thousand troops. However,
the local japanese military author
tiles Immediately violated the terms
of the agreement by pouring in more
troops at unspecified points and by
other unwarranted actions.
Japan thus has her desired base
of operations against Free China
Yet the strategic Importance should
not be overeStimated. The Yunnan-
fu line is a light railway passing
through very mountainous country
with so many bridges and tunnels
that the Chinese can thoroughly
wreck it at any time. As for the new
air bases, they are not much nearer
their logical objectives than others
in Chinese territory nearby, which
the japanese already occupy. Japan
does, however, obtain control over
Tonkin's considerable mineral wealth,
notably high-grade coal mines, with
lesser supplies of tin, iron and zinc.
If Japan extends her control over
the whole of French Indo- China,
she will obtain a tropical empire
larger than France itself and with
a great variety of natural resources.
The agricultural southern provinces
are one of the worlds chief rice
growing areas, and rice is the Japa-
nese food staple.
Indo-China is itself merely the
gateway to further imperialistic
vistas. Next door is Thailand
(Siam). the buffer state between
Indo-China and British India. Ira
ditionally suspicious of France and
Britain, Thailand has long been
penetrated by japanese propaganda,
and its southern tip stretches down
the Malay Peninsula within hailing
distance of Singapore, Britain's Gil
braltar Of the Far East. Lastly,
1ndo- China is not so very far from
both the Netherlands Indies and the
Philippines.
Such are the larger aspects which
Japan's aggression against 1ndo-
.A4s. O~ves,,A