Evening star., 1950-10-27
Invasion of Tibet

If Russian reports are true, and they probably
are Chinese Communist troops have invaded
Tibet to "liberate" the 100000 inhabitants of
that remote and little-known land.
This forcible liberation comes as no surprise,
for China's Communists have been threatening
Tibet over period of many months. 1t is an
aggression, however which presents the West
not to mention India and all of non Communist
Asia) with further evidence that the Communists,
when other means fail, will not hesitate to use
force to attain their objectives
1t does not appear that there is much the
Western nations can do to aid Tibet There is
even question whether Tibet itself will offer any
resistance to the invaders. AS long ago as last
July it was reported that the Tibetan authorities
after Pandlt Nehru'S government had refused to
permit war materials to cross India to Tibet de-
c1ded it would be useless to oppose a Communist
invasion. Current reports from Hong Kong are
in similar vein-namely, that Tibet instead of
fighting for it's independence, will bow to the in
vaders and negotiate for as large measure of
autonomy as it can get. Another dispatch from
Calcutta quotes radio reports from Lhasa, the
Tibetan capital, to the effect that the people Of
Tibet are shocked and dismayed by the turn of
events, and that they are determined to fight the
invaders.
There Is little reason to suppose, however,
that any resistance can be effective Tibet has an
army of some $4,000 tough troops. But they are
armed only with rifles, and it is not at all likely
that they can make successful stand. The
weather and the rugged terrain will be the main
obstacles with which the invaders will have to
deal. IT they have begun their invasion, however,
it must be assumed that they are prepared to cope
with these factors
Communist-controlled Tibet would be a
matter of grave concern to India For Tibet is
of considerable strategic significance, lying Just
north OF India behind the towering Himalayas
Perhaps it would not pose too serious military
threat since the Himalayas are a truly formi-
daole barrier which has never been crossed in
force by invading armies. But Tibet in Commu-
mist hands would serve admirably as a base for
infiltration of the impoverished Ganges Valley.
1t is this, perhaps, more than any immediate
military danger, which explains the reports from
New Delhi that Indian government officials are
shocked' by the reported invasion
Tibet has long been source of international
rivalry. The Chinese government confirmed the
Dalai Lama, religious potentate, in his author
lty IN 1853, presumably so that Tibet could serve
as buffer state When Britain ruled India.
Tibet again functioned as a buffer, the British
striving both to support its autonomy and to keep
out agents of Czarist and, subsequently, of Soviet
Russia. Now the Communists claim that Tibet
was intended for use as an Anglo-American in
vasion base against China and so they, too, prob
ably are mindful OF It's usefulness buffer area.
No such explanation, however, can alter the
TACT that Tibet, which as recently as November,
l949, was described by the Dalai Lama as "a
wholly Independent country" is apparently in
process of being conquered by armed force. Per-
haps there is nothing that can be done by way
OF extending direct and immediate assistance.
At the least, however due notice can be taken
OF this aggression by the Chinese Communist gov
ernment. and the fact certainly should weigh
heavily in the scales against any new attempt to
admit Red China to the United Nations.