Evening star., 1954-05-16

OF officers and commissioned
officers serving with this l7,O00-man
force that has compounded the
French losses. The proportion Of
French. Wet Namese, African and
Foreign Legion troops among these
men has not been released. Official
French sources here believe it would
be almost impossible to determine
because of the motley character of
the groups dropped in the late stages
of the fighting. But estimates COW
ering $4,000 of the earlier arrivals
at Dien Bien Phu, based on reports
released by the French. show the
following breakdown:
. $500 Foreign Legionnaires and
African troops.
. $500 Frenchmen.
. 1000 Wet Namese.
Twelve battalions originally un-
dertook the defense of Dien Bien
Phu. Five more were parachuted
in later. Normal tables of organi-
cation would have called for about
5000 officers and non-comS among
the 1900 who defended Dien Bien
Phu. But this was a special opera
ton and the number probably was
considerably higher. The heavy en-
phasis on artillery also required a
much higher proportion of officers
and cadre
The French kept dropping men
into Dien Bien Phu up until IL
hours before the end of the battle.
Many of the last to parachute in
were not paratroopers, but volun-
teers who had little or no previous
jump training.
The great bulk of the defenders,
however, were the cream of the
Franco-Viet NameSe forces Most of
the 1000 or more Wet NameSe were
future non-com and officer material.
The privateS and corporals among
them probably would have become
cadre for the expanding Wet Ma
meSe national army. They might
have stated upwards of 20 baJLa-
lions with non-coms and Junior Of
ficerS. There was even more cadre
material among the other battallonS
which the Reds captured.
lS CoIoneIs Lost
The Wet Mini radio claim that
18 colonels had been killed or cap
tured at Dien Bien Phu is probably
an accurate figure. These high
ranking officers. of course are the
most difficult to replace. Seasoned
officers can't be turned out by mass
production methods like second lieu
tenants. They must obtain battle
experience and there aren't enough
battles in any one war for all OF
them to get the expel ience to COM
mand battalionS, regiments or di-
visions.
The capture of Brig. Gen. Chris
tan De Castrles, commander at
Dien Bien Phu. was considerable
loss in itself He was one of the
French forces most promising SEN
ior officers.
Heavy losses we're absorbed by
the Wet Mini, it is true. Gen. Ma
varre, French commander of the
anti-Communist forces in Indo-
China, estimates that the Wet Mimi
suffered $4,000 casualties. compared
to about 1000 for the Franco-Viet
Namese side. The Wet Mini finally
got much closer to an even break.
however, when they took some $4,000
able-bodied defenders prisoner.
1000 Coming Home
Among the 1000 Franco-Viet Ma
mese casualties there were an esti-
mated 1000 litter patients, 400 to
500 killed. and $500 walking wound
ed. Some of the litter patients are
now being returned to Hanoi and
Saigon, thanks to unexpected CO.
operation by the Communists. Most
of the ambulatory cases presumably
are trudging northward from Diem
Bien Phu with their able bodied com.
rades, bound for some wet and mis-
cradle Wet Mini prison compound.
Secretary of State John Foster
Dulles still insists that the Navarro
plan for expanding the Wet Namese
army and for eventual victory IN
Indo-China Is militarily sound. But
Dien Bien Phu was major setback
to the Navarre-type buildup Of
military forces.
Effects of this defeat on military
operations can undoubtedly be over
come in time. But the problem viii
be to get the French back home TO
devote the necessary time and effort.