Evening star., 1954-05-23
Wet Mimi Regroup
For Delta Thrust as
Vests Unity Folters

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keep talking ateGeneva, their
chances Of blocking free world
Intervention were good. because
Great Britain Is standing pat
against united action until
after the Geneva conference.
The Reds held out for alb
ject surrender as the basis for
an Indo- China armistice. But
they knew q breakdown at
Geneva would bring the di-
vided West together again. AS
far as could be judged from
news leaks on the secret talks
at Geneva, the Communists
were giving enough ground to
keep things going without
really working for settlement.
In Wet Nam, meanwhile, the
Wet Mimi apparently have
embarked on q campaign to
isolate, maybe take Hanoi. in
spite Of the rainy season and
before Frances allies can In
tervene.
Wounded soldiers trickled
out Of Dien Bien Phu toward
Hanoi hospitals in a tedious
airlift operating under modi-
fed rules. At first the French
agreed not to bomb the high
way leading east from Diem
Bien Phu so that Communists
could evacuate their wounded
at the same time. But more
able-bodied troops and equip
ment than wounded showed up
on the highway. They obvious
1y were headed for Hanoi. So
the French resumed bombing.
The Wet Mimi permitted the
airlift of wounded to proceed.
under a slightly stepped-up
schedule.
British Position
Britain's refusal to move
jointly with her major allies
now has put q strain on the
Anglo American alliance. It
is only temporary. however. be-
cause the British agree in prin-
ciple that failure at Geneva
must be followed by some kind
Of united stand. They insist.
however, on trying peaceful
settlement first. The United
States fears that valuable time
is being lost. Last Wednesday
President Eisenhower talked of
forming an alliance without
Britain, and drew a hurt re-
action from London.
This week end, Deputy Prime
Minister Anthony Eden is re-
turning to London from Ge-
neya to report on the negotia-
tions' progress. In some quar-
ters there was hope that he is
becoming convinced Of the
futility in hoping for a set
tlement across the tables at
Geneva. When Cor IL the con-
ference reaches a stalemate.
there presumably will be noth-
ing standing In the way Of
Great Britain's joining an al
lance to try to save Indo-
China.
Military staff talks among
the British, Americans, French,
Australians and New Zea-
landers are to start this week
in Washington. Other Far
Eastern military representa-
tives are expected to be in
vited. So the United States
campaign for internationaliza-
ton Of the war in Indo- China
Is not standing still
Hope that America could get
the immediate allied support
it requires before Britain joins
suffered q setback Thursday.
however, when New Zealand's
Foreign Minister. T. Clifton
Webb. said in Washington his
country would not go in with
out the British. Australia pre-
viously indicated it could not
take the vital step until after
its elections next Saturday.
Both countries, however, are
known to be aware Of the
threat and eager to help.
The United States continued,
meanwhile. to line up other
support for united action.
Thailand and the Philippines
are believed to have given
semi-oficial assurances they
will come in. So have Wet
Nam, Laos and CaNbodia, but
their status in the French Un-
ion must be clarified before
their commitments can be
firm.
Negotiations With Fronce
America spent most of last
week in negotiations with
France. Both countries agree
on the necessity for interna-
tionalizing the war and now
are drawing up the terms.
France needs the strong sup
port of the United States to
keep its touchy political situa-
ton under control.
Nevertheless Americans are
making it plain they want a
much larger voice-the domi-
nant voice if United States
troops are sent-in Indo- China
strategy. United States mill
tary men think the French
commanders in Wet Nam have
blundered seriously in the past,
wasting both men and Ameri-
can-supplied materiel.
The United States also is
insisting on clarificatiOn of the