Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1950-10-29

Soi1pdlSII dSdlIlSt southeast ASIA
is in full swing.
1t is true that the French forces
in 1ndo-China are better trained
for combat than the army of the
Korean Republic was in the early
days OF the war. The difference
is that the French are not fight
ing, in the strict sense of the word.
for their country's independence.
The troops which are resisting Ho
Chi Minis legions are loyal to the
French flag. under which they
fought for more than century,
but do not have a stake in Indo-
China.
Neither the Moroccans, the AL
gerianS. the Germans nor the
other nationalities in the Foreign
Legion look to Indo-C China as their
fatherland. They are professional
soldiers, who obey the orders of
their officers. They fight we'll
when fighting is necessary, but
they have neither enthusiasm nor
love for the territory they are
ordered to defend.
The native troops which were
supposed to be organized into
units to defend their fatherland
are practically non-e existent. There
has been much criticism of the
French authorities for not having
done more to organize a national
Wet Nam force.
Red Leader Popular
Some of this criticism is iusti-
fed if we look at the situation
ldeologically - several thousand
miles away from that area. But
the truth is that Ho Chi Mimi,
the leader of the Communists, has
managed to make himself so pop
ular with the rank and file of the
natives that the French cannot
trust them.
A tyical example of the validity
OF the French claim that the Wet
Namese will surrender, bag and
baggage, has been brought to the
attention Of our military authori-
ties. A school for native officers
ives established in Hanoi and
Saigon. The students showed ex-
cellent aptitude and promised to
be excellent officer material. But
as soon as they graduated and
before they were commissioned
the majority fled and joined the
ranks of the Communist National
list Ho Chi Mini.
Under these conditions there is
much to be said in favor of the
French general staff. which con-
tends that it would be foolish to
provide the so-called Wet Nam
Army with any portion of the 5000
million worth of American mill
tary equipment. This material
would find its way into the hands |
iof the Communists much more
quickly than was the case with
the Chinese Nationalist. The
Wet Namese have very little, if
any, love for or confidence in the
chief of state, former Emperor Bao
Dali, who is a puppet created by
the Paris government.
Whether we like to admit it or
not, Ho Chi Mimi definitely has
much appeal for the rank and file
of Indo-Chinese, who are still not
sufficiently educated politically to
realize that Ho himself eventually
will become just another Moscow
satrap, like the rulers of other
satellite countries in Europe and
Asia.
The moral effect of our spec
tacular victories in Korea has
sobered number of persons in
the Far East who have been i'm
pressed with Americas military
efficiency, These people had been
indoctrinated with the belief that
we were fat slobs. so rich that
we could afford to throw away
billions of dollars indiscrimin-
ately, but when it came to actual
fighting we were SO incompetent |
and soft that even a small country
like Korea, inspired with the
flame of Marxism, could lick us
with one hand.
Color Line Drawn
/ Moreover, Red propaganda |
agents spread the story that
Korea was winning-as it was
for more than two months-be-
cause latest-type Russian military
equipment and Russian staff |
officers were backing the North |
Koreans. We had tangible proof !
that this was the case and used |
it to our advantage as soon as
the fortunes of war turned in our
favor. We exploited Communist /
propaganda and showed that in
spite Of this real effort on the .
part of Moscow the Red Korean
armies were utterly destroyed.
But the victory of the Wet /
Mimi troops. who for more than
year were trained in Red China
under veteran Chinese officers
and Russian military advisers,
has detracted from the remark
able affect of our victories south
and north of the 38th Parallel.
In the Far East sharper line
is being drawn between yellows
and whites than between the
various branches of the white
race.
Detectives UNCHANGED
In the see-saw battle which Rus
STA is waging against us. a battle
in which she uses mainly agents
and officers belonging to the Ash
attic components of the U. S. S. R.,
our prestige rises or falls with our
military successes or failures. We
won a splendid victory in Korea
and the effect was felt throughout
Asia. Now the French are being
defeated in Indo-China. Belief
in the Western democracies is
once more On the wane,