Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-07-15
French Show Muscles,
Mostly Made in U. s.,
During BastiIIe Day
by The A,,eeistsd Pres,

BY the Assoeated Press
PARIS. July 14.-France today
displayed new tanks and motor
lied weapons in a Bastille Day
parade which President Vincent
Auriol hailed as affirming the
country's material and moral"
rebirth.
In reply to President Truman's
message on the national fete day,
the French President asserted that
the nation was united around the
Army of the Republic.
II assure you again of our will
to make our effort side by side
with all the free nations to dis
courage aggression" he said.
The two-hour parade of renewed
French strength-biggeSt military
show in Paris since the war-waS
largely by courtesy of the United
States mutual defense assistance
program. But there were enough
samples Of new French armament
to show that France, too, is pitch
ing in.
New Tanks Cheered.
Warmest cheers from crowds
thronging the Champs Elysees|
were for three new 50-ton French
tanks with their 100-millimeter
guns and solitary 120-millimeterI
high speed mobile assault gun.
National Defense Minister Jules
Moch has pointed out these new
weapons were only ordered be-
tween April and November last
year. Prototypes were shown to-
day. Production in number will
follow.
1t was the same with uniforms.
Only one infantry regiment
marched in the new French
battle-dreSs - waterproof khaki
blouses and baggy pants whose
ample folds will allow WOODEN
Innings to replace the oldtime mil
itary topcoats in winter months.
Most of the 1000 men on pa
rade marched in the British bat
tle-dreSs they have worn since
the war. Even the once-colorfulI
North African spahiS were inI
sober khaki and rode light tank
instead Of plunging Arab horses
Helicopter in Parade.
Some of the things which made
this years July II parade diff
ferent from ali those before it:
A helicopter. piloted by al
French Air Force captain. whirled
along just a few feet from the
ground and dipped in lowering
salute right before the reviewing
stand.
A hundred planes-mostly jets
screamed overhead in light
ming review which lasted less than
three minutes of the two-hourl
parade. Among the planes was a
new French jet. Mystery" and
American-made Thunderjets.
New French-built eight-wheeled
reconnaissance cars, equipped with
dual driving posts like trolley-cars
and able to travel as fast back
wards as forwards. were shown.
Jet-propelled assault boats. 13-
ton light tank chasers and rocket
launching ramps, all French made.
were displayed.
These are all new weapons in
troduced to warfare since an old
fashioned French army went down
before Hitler's blitzkreig.
Seine Is Bridged.
French army engineers threw a
100-ton floating bridge across the
Seine in four hours and sent three
Sherman tanks across 1t.
In his message to the republic,
President Truman said Gin the
course of the past year. the French
people and the American people
have made heavy sacrifices for
liberty. They have resisted ag-
erosion with success. Their
strength, Joined with that Of other
peace-loving peoples, has steadily
grown. Pursuit of these combined
efforts will assure peace, for it
will discourage aggression"
Tonight, all Paris danced in the
streets to gay accordion music.