Evening star., 1953-05-07
Reds Reported
Pulling Back
Troops in Laos
Supply Lines Seen
As Overextended in
Midst of Monsoon
BY the Associofed Press

HANOI, 1ndO-Chlna, May L.
Sizable Communist - led Wet
Mimi units were reported with
drawing today from the heart of
Laos after overrunning more
than a third of the Indo- Chinese
kingdom. The move mayor
may not-mean an end of the
25-day Red invasion of the
peaceful little French-associated
state at the back door of Thai
land and Burma.
French spokesmen cautiously
declined to estimate the scope
of the withdrawal but said the
number of rebel troops involved
was impressive. The Wet Mimi
units were pulling out of areas
around the royal residence city
of Luang Prabang, the French
fortified Plaine des Jarres and
Xiengkhouang to the south.
Supply Lines Overstretched.
Two reasons we're advanced
here for the Communist pull
back:
The Reds apparently had over
stretched their supply lines in
their 20O-mile dash south and
west from Wet Nam, another OF
the three Indo-Chinese states.
They also had lost their race
to overrun Laos before the sea-
sonal monsoon rains. These are
now beginning with ever-mount-
ing force.
Whether or not the enemy
movement northward develops
into a general withdrawal, the
threat to Laos had lessened and
possibly even ended for the
present.
French army spokesmen, how
ever, did not exclude the posi-
bility that the Wet Mini may
yet stage a do-or-die assault on
! Luang Prabang, 275 miles south
west of Hanoi, or on the strong
ly fortified Plaine deS Jarres.
Reds Fail to Attack.
Some rebel forces still were
encamped around the residence
town of King Sisavang Wong and
the plain. 10 miles to the west
Thus far however, they have
not attacked either place
French-Laotian patrols. pene-
trating as much as is miles into
areas where the rebels supposed
ly were concentrated, returned
without firing q shot
The Wet Mini also appeared
to be stalled in the area south
of Xiengkhouang, 80 miles south
of Luang Prabang. Advance
units of the rebel forces in that
sector stabbed two days ago to
within 35 miles of Laos Mekong
River border with Thailand.
The Wet Mini drive brought
speedy reaction from the Thai
government. Reports received
here said Bangkok officials were
reinforcing a long string Of po-
lice posts along its northern bor-
der and increasing the nation s
Mekong river patrols.
Dependent on Coolies.
The supply problem seemed
an obvious reason for the Wet
Mini withdrawal.
The invaders depend for their
supplies on tens of thousands of
coolies who have been packing
guns and ammunition on their
backs over jungle and mountain
trails from Red China, 800 miles
away.
This human chain apparently
broke down under the invasion's S
heavy demands and the tor
! rental monsoon rains.
The French and Laotian de-
tenders. meanwhile, received a
big American assist in their own
supply problem. Six United
States Clio Flying Boxcars. the
first of possibly two or three
dozen to be sent to Indo- China
under an increased American aid
program, took off from Hanoi
with war cargoes for Laos.
The big cargo planes have
been loaned to France for the
emergency. French spokesmen
said they would be flown by
American civilian crews and
serviced by American techni-
clans.