Evening star., 1950-10-30
Indo-Chino Now Asio's No. | Trouble SPOT
By L. Edqar Primo

not be evened by expeditions to "liberate"
Tibet. the Kremlin today Is looking
hopefully and hungrily toward Indo-
China where the French and Wet
Namese are battling desperately to put
down the Communicated rebels.
1t is in this great peninsula, used by
the Japanese in World War II as base
for the conquest Of rich Southeast Asia,
that Russia seeks to bolster her prestige
in the Far East. And, since the launch
ing of the rebel offensive in Tonkin last
month, the Moscow propagandiSts have
had much to crow about.
The beefed-up insurgents struck first
at Thatke. near the Chinese border.
Some 10000 Wet Mimi troops. under the
leadership of Soviet-trained Ho Chi
Mini, encircled $500 crack Foreign Le-
gionnaires and Moroccans and annihi-
lated all but cohple of hundred.
Thus, in one action, more Frenchmen
died than all the GIs killed In Korea up
to the time of the recapture Of Seoul.
The massacre had ominous forebodings.
1t indicated Hos forces had greatly in
creased f1repower, superb communica-
tions and top-fiight generalship. The
rebels apparently had been graduated
from hit-run tactics and were ready for
full-scale war.
Since the Thatke defeat. the French
have been forced to withdraw from one
base after another along the Chinese
frontier Ho now controls $50 miles of
border to depth of 100 miles. This
means the rebels have unrestricted ac-
cess to Communist China. where they
are armed fed, trained and rested, and
their combat losses are replaced.
Now, despite American assurances OF
increased arms aid and cash to ease
Frances financial strain, the cabinet OF
Premier Rene Pleven faces a continuing
crisis.
Russias role in the Indo- China affair
has been much more behind-the-scene
than 1t was in Korea. The Kremlin
works through the Peiping regime.
which arms and sustains Ho. Russian
propaganda taunts the United States.
which is much more openly involved, on
its inability to interfere" as it did in
Korea.
Actually, there has been no thought
by the White House Of sending American
troops to Indo-China. Such a move
would require United Nations sanction.
The French have exhibited no intention
Of taking the case to the U. NJ, nor
have they requested troops.
The State Department attitude is that
Indo- China is primarily q French-Viet
Nam responsibility. 1t believes the COM
mitting of American forces would tend
to ALLEVIATE the peoples Of Asia, drive
India further from the Western camp
and provide excellent material for the
Soviet propaganda machine.
To date. the four-year fight in Indo-
China adds up to victory for Russia
and world communism. While the Reds
control less than one-sixth of the 27
million population and little of the coun-
try's producing areas, they have bled
the French heavily in treasure and man
power. And now that we are picking
up the check. they are adding to our
financial and tax woes. Before the issue
is settled. the dollar-cost to us may be
as great as Korea.
Meanwhile, the warfare has had pro-
found effects in France. It has retarded
appreciably her industrial recovery.
Last year France spent $3.50 million, an
amount equal to 10 per cent of her
Marshall Plan ALLEGATION, in Indo- China.
Her Far East commitments also have
prevented France from filling her full
role In Western European defense. Only
with vast American aid will she be able
to put 10 to 20 new divisions in the field
by the end of 1852. Officer casualties
have been greater than the number of
graduates Of her national military acad-
emy.
While France has given considerable
authority to the Associated States of
Indo- China (the kingdoms of Laos and
Cambodia and the state of Wet Nam.
which includes Tonkin. AMMAN and
Cochin -China), it has not been ready to
end completely its motherland advan-
tages. The United States believes the
only long-range solution to communism
in Indo- China is to grant the age-long
hope Of the people and give them gen.
uine independence. AS a step in that
direction we are equipping the new
armies Of the Associated States to total
$4,000 mem so they can take the field
against the Reds as soon as possible.
We are indirectly and politely pressing
the French on the matter Of independ-
ence. Even q firm promise would make
available an effective counterpropagan-
da with which to WOO the genuine ma
tionalists who have lined up with Ho
in preference to the French.
In recent years the French handling
of its Indo-China problem has been
puzzling. at best. After the war Ho, who
had been fighting the Japanese as an
underground leader, was recognized as
head Of the new Wet Nam state. But
when negotiations for a final settlement
broke down Ho went to war.
In turn the French recalled Bao Dai,
the King of AMMAN. who abdicated after
the war. The Japanese had permitted
him to remain on his throne during the
occupation. He now is chief of state Of
Wet Nam. Already a double target Of
Red propaganda ("ex-Jap puppet"-
French puppet"), his recent three
month holiday on the Riviera has not
enhanced his popularity at home or
abroad.
The fighting forces engaged in Indo-