Evening star., 1950-12-10

meal until the whole Army of oc-
cupation in Japan. the available
Marines in the United States and
other troops and combat teams
were rushed over. In the end we
won spectacular victory over the
North Koreans. But none of our
brilliant diplomats seems to have
given a thought to the certainty
that the Chinese Communists
would intervene in Korea and that
they in turn would be supported
by the Russians. This should have
been evident, since a mutual as
sistance treaty had been signed in
Moscow six months before the Ko-
rean conflict broke out.
| The existence of that treaty was
conveniently overlooked. 1t inter-
ferred with the wishful thinking Of
the men in the United Nations
who were hypnotizing themselves
with Understanding sentences
about peace and good will, even in
the face of the obvious tactics Of
Russia's representative, Jacob
Malik.
Token Aid Given
The false hope that the Chinese
Communists would be free agents
and would not enter the battle
and the prejudice in the American
and other Western governments
against the Nationalists have de-
prived our hard-pressed soldiers
of what could be most welcome
assistance.
While the British and the In
dians moved heaven and earth to
prevent inclusion of the Chinese
Nationalist in what was described
as common fight under auspices
of the United Nations, neither
nation lifted a finger. to help us
improve the military situation.
India still believes in passive
resistance. That country with a
population of more than $50 mil
lion people was not able to send
even token battalion to Korea.
to indicate willingness to CO.
operate with the u. N. police
action" 1t sent only an am
bulance. While either unwilling
or incapable of helping US
militarily, she prevented her
neighbor. Pakistan from sending
a sizable force to Korea last July.
4 Pakistan is reported to have Of
fered fully equipped division.
The only condition specified by
the Karachi government was that
while this force was engaged in
Korea, the Indian government
should promise that to maintain
, the status quo in the dispute over
, Kashmir.
The State Department is said to
have approached the Indian gov
ernment with tact and care" The
reply from New Delhi was equivo-
cal and not sufficiently reassur-
ing for the Pakistanis. We lost
the support of some $4,000 first
class soldiers.
The British, after spell of hes
itation, ordered 1900 men to Joint
the United Nations forces. They
were excellent troops, fighting in
the old British tradition. But their
number was hardly sufficient to
meet the situation when the Chi
neSe Communists entered the bat
tie. The reason offered by the
Labor government for not sending
more men was that Britain had no
further force at her disposal. This
is only partially true.
Turks Stand Out
There is a British force of be-
tween 10000 and 10000 men sta
toned at Hong Kong. 1t was sent
there to prevent a surprise attack
by the Chinese Communists, who
, considered that British crown COL
ony Chinese territory. The fact is
that the British troops can do
nothing if the Chinese decide to
take that city. So long as Hong
Kong remains a good channel for
the purpose of strategic materials
from the west. Peiping will not in
terefere with the British. But
once its practical usefulness is
over, there is no doubt that the
Chinese Communists will claim it
and take it by force if the British
refuse to surrender it.
The fate of Hong Kong depends
on the fate of the United Nations
forces in Korea. A victory-fushed
China will demand in strong
terms what had been only whis-
pered last year. If the British
really had their heart in making
common cause with us they would
have sent at least half their gar
rison from Hong Kong to Korea.
But as it was nothing was done
except to give America strong ad-
vice not to become involved in a
war in Asia after our defeat at
the hands of the Communists.
The French, who, with the Brit
ish are regarded by Washington
as the backbone of resistance in
Europe to the Russian aggression"
were conspicuous by their absence.
They dispatched to Korea a gun
boat and a skeleton battalion
which had not been in action dur
ing the heavy fighting of the last
two weeks. It is hoped the French
unit can be withdrawn unscathed,
as it will be of much greater use
in Indo-China.
Thus, with the exception of
brilliant Turkish brigade of some
4,500 men. the members of the
United Nations were careful to
commit as few forces as possible
in the u. MS first defense against