Evening star., 1954-05-08
Paris Bitterly Shocked byNews;
Government Expected to Fall
Holiday Spirit Lacking as City Marks
World War II Victory Anniversary


Every one nas his own answers
to these questions. Premier
Joseph Laniel. announcing the
fall of the fortress yesterday
afternoon, called on French peo-
pie for the "virile reaction of a
great nation" The government,
he said, would not allow the de-
feat Ito have the slightest effect
on the line it intends to follow
at Geneva.
But others, including most ex-
perts, are not so sure. It is openly
predicted that the French gov
ernment will be overthrown when
the National Assembly meets
again Tuesday.
Disapproved 'Of Government.
A majority of the assembly has
long disapproved the present
government for a variety of rea-
sons. In the most recent crisis
on Thursday. its life was pro-
longed only in hope that some
thing could be done to save the
garrison at Dien Bien Phu by
negotiating with the Communists
at Geneva. Now that hope has
gone.
Whatever happens, there can
be little doubt that the search
for peace in Indo-C China will be
pressed with new determination.
Nearly a third of parliament is
already calling for immediate
cease fire on almost any terms
and others are now expected to
take the same line. Already
leaders Of the three major anti
government parties - Gaullists
Socialists and Communists-are
calling for an immediate inquiry
into military and political mis-
takes that LED to fall of Dien
Bien Phu.
Today, the conservative news
paper Figaro comments bitterly
on the fate of the defenders
They are dead because we have
not known how to wage this war
because we have not known how
to accept it nor refuse it because
we have neither measured up tc
the test nor foreSeen the conSe-
quences.
lone hope remains: That this
tragedy shall come as a decisive
shock to the conscience of the
free world and that a united
Western front shall save us from
this folly and shall find in its
own strength the means oi
making peace at Geneva.
Word Reaches BidauIt.
Word of the defeat reached
French Foreign Minister Bidault
shortly before 3 pm. yesterday
in Geneva as he was preparing
to enter a conference session al
the League of Nations Building
The telegram was brief ane
contained few details, but the
hard fact was clear enough.
At the same time a Russian
brief1ng officer at the press Gen.
ter was telling correspondents
that delay in arranging a cease.
fire at Dien Bien Phu for evacua.
ton of the wounded was thu
fault Of the French. It wa.
they, he said, who had insisted
that opening of talks on Indo.
China be delayed, while the Com
munist side, on the other hand
was most solicitous about the
welfare of the wounded de-
tenders.
1t was nearly an hour later
before the news began circu-
lsting in the lobby of the press
center. Small groups gathered
to talk in low tones about the
flash on the French news agency
ticker. The Communist CORE
spondents : stood apart saying
little.
Here again there was feeling
OF shock and disbelief. There
had been no earlier word OF
the Communist attack.
Sympathy Offered.
American and British report
ers looked for their friends in
the French press corps to offer
their sympathy and speculate
on the consequences. Most
seemed to agree that the Com
munists had timed the blow
carefully to have the maximum
effect on the Indo- Chinese talks
scheduled to start the next day,
but some had doubts that it
was a clever move. All week
Communists had used the plight
of the fortress as a lever to open
the conference on their own
terms. Many had expected them
to-apply the same tactics when
the talks actually got under way
It was unclear what the vic.
tory had gained them - unless
French morale cracked complete
ly under the impact of this
crushing defeat.
Officially Announced.
Late in the afternoon the con.
ference room at press headquar.
ters was jammed to hear the
official announcement from the
spokesman of the French dele.
cation, charging that the Rus
slams knew of the fall of Dier
Bien Phu before calling theil
afternoon press conference. Bit
terly the spokesman recalled
that the French had ATTACHED
no conditions to their plea fol
a truce. The fate of Gen. Chris.