Evening star., 1952-06-24
Attack at the YoIu

fcation and enlargement Is 9grimy emphasized
by the massive air attack on the enemy's hydro
electric plants at the Manchurian border. In
effect, the attack serves as kind of warning that
the Communists if they keep on blocking truce
agreement and building up more and more power
for possible new offensives, may make it impera-
tive for allied United Nations forces to strike
at the privileged sanctuary" north of the Yalu
River
Although located on Korean soil, the bombed
plants have heretofore been dealt with as if they
were part of that sanctuary" The reasons for
this have never been officially explained, but
there has been speculation to the effect that a
decision was made early in the conflict not to
attack the dams or power stations lest such action
bring on violent retaliation from Red China or
the Soviet Union. Another speculation has been
that the decision was based on hope that the
war might be short-lived and on desire to avoid
the kind of destruction that would greatly
increase the cost of reconstructing the country
after the end of hostilities.
All such considerations, however, have now
been brushed aside. In the biggest aerial strike
. to date in the Korean war; 500 of our Air Force,
, Navy and Marine planes have delivered smash
ing blow to five of the long-immune plants. The
one at Suiho- described as the fourth largest in
the worlds reported to have been completely
hit just as hard, though the dams themselves
have been left standing intact, perhaps to serve
as targets on some future day. Certainly, unless
the success of the mission has been grossly exag-
gerated the enemy should feel its painful effects
for many week to come.
Thus-again assuming that the damage has
not been exaggerated-North Korea has been
deprived of virtually its only of industrial
power, and Mukden and other Manchurian
producing centers dependent on the same source
have been similarly affected The result is that
Communist military output-ammunition, small
arms, etc.-on both sides of the Yalu can hardly
escape suffering serious setback while efforts
are made to restore the wrecked hydroelectric
plants to working order. That is job, of course,
that cannot be done in hurry, and it might be
undone readily enough by yet another heavy
raid.
Aside from immediate military effects, the
chief significance of yesterdays attack lies in
the fact that it has suddenly ended the immunity
Of key target area that has enjoyed, during the
past two years of warfare, the same "privileged"
status as Red China's Manchurian Sanctuary"
To that extent the event can be interpreted as
policy change indicating (D that the u N. COM
mand has grown pessimistic about Panmunjom
and ( that may rid itself of all it's self imposed
bombing restrictions if the Communists torpedo
the truce talks or otherWlSe demonstrate that
they plan to unleash a new offensive with their
greatly increased air and land strength. What
their reaction will be remains to be seen; it
could be extremely violent
However, it is also possible that the attack
on the hydroelectric plants, instead Of melting
them to retaliatory violence, may sober the
Communists and persuade them to stop stalling
at Panmunjom. The dispute over prisoner
repatriation Is ostensibly all that stands in the
way of an armistice. If they wish to end the
lighting they have only to agree to the U. Ms
humane and thoroughly reasonable proposal.
They must know, in any case, that the longer
they continue on their present course, ominously
building up their armed power, the greater will
be the danger that the Korean war will explode
into something much bigger and more terrible.
Is it conceivable that that is what they really
want2