Evening star., 1950-04-25
Formoso Next?

ABOUT neaVy ngnClng' IN which they all but
annihilated the invading Chinese Communists,
the Nationalist forces of Generalissmo Chang
Kai-shek claimed great victory on Hainan.
Now, however like the rash of similar statements
made during their tragic military dsintegration
on the mainland this claim has turned out to
be not merely premature but wholly at variance
with the facts.
Actually, despite the presence of possibly
125,OOO defending troops. the invaders, though
less numerous, seem to have encountered no
resistance worthy of the name. As result, with
GeneraliSsimo Chang repeatedly ordering total
evacuation" they appear to have Hainan so we'll
in hand that the whole island is expected to
be under firm Communist control within the
next few days. The Nationalist victory" in
short, has proved to be a thoroughgoing defeat.
Wholly apart from casting further discredit
on the reliability of all claims made by the Chang
regime, this event gives to the Chinese Reds a
1850 -square-mile island rich in high-grade iron
ore and populated by 2,5OO,OOO. More important,
In addition to strengthening the Communists
mllitarily and psychologically vis-avis Southeast
Asia, the loss of Hainan certainly will be blow
to what is left of the Nationalists' morale Little
more than Formosa remains under their control
now, and there they have been virtually reduced
to the status of isolated refugees, with no de
facto authority power over the vast China
they once governed. Their tragedy-a tragedy
full of ominous long-range potentialities for
America and the rest of the free world-thus
seems to be heading toward the last scene of
the last act.
But if the Chinese Communists now propose
to undertake an amphibious assault on Formosa,
they must prepare for much tougher operation
than the one that has given them Hainan. In
invading the latter from Southeast China, they
m froif 1u taof1f fay,
wide and they have enjoyed the cover not merely
of supporting aviation but also of shore-based
artillery. BY way of contrast, to make landings
on FormoSa-where Generalissimo Chang has
concentrated forces that look formidable at least
on paper-they must cross about one hundred
miles of water OF course, If they are equipped
with enough naval craft and as many Soviet
supplied planes as some reports suggest, the
venture may not be too diffcult Nevertheless,
given real Nationalist sea, air and land resistance
it can be made extremely hazardous for them
1t need hardly be added that the future OF
Formosa will have a considerable bearing on
the future security of the free world particularly
the United States For although its real stra-
teglc significance Is open to debate with some
military experts apparently regarding it as being
much less than vital, there can be no doubt that
the island in Communist hands would be m
added threat certainly not negligible one---to
our defensive position in the Far Pacific.
Beyond that. If Formosa eventually goes
the way Fof Hainan, the last vestige- of
Nationalist prestige will be lost and the Com
munists will win important new psychological
ground throughout Asia. In the circumstances,
one can only hope that Generalissmo Chang
will succeed in holding the place. Unfortunately
there is not much that the United States can
do to help him short Of resorting to armed inter-
vention-an act that could prove to be the worst
sort Of folly.