The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1954-07-01
French Tell
OfLossesIn
Indocllina
Withdrawal From
Rich Red River
Area Announced
By FORREST EDWARDS


HANOI, Indochina IN u The
French announced today they are
withdrawing from the southern
quarter Of the rich Red River
delta, abandoning to the Commu-
nist-led Vietminh thousands of
miles Of rich rice lands and an
estimated two million Indochinese.
The withdrawal, rumored in
progress for some days, yields to
the rebels without q fight such
major points as the big Catholic
center of Plat Diem, IS miles
southeast Of Hanoi; Thai Binh, 90
miles southeast Of the war capital;
Mini Blnh, 80 miles south Of Hanoi;
and the major textile rnanufactur-
ing town Of Nam Dinh, IS miles
southeast Of Hanoi.
Report Confirmed
The French confirmed they were
pulling out Of the area on Wednes-
day but tight military censorship
prevented cabling Of the news
abroad until today.
THE French news agency report.
ed in Paris that the Vietminh occu-
pied Plat Diem at 10 am. Wednes-
day.
lin London, the British Foreign
Office announced last night it had
warned the 80 British Common
wealth citizens in Hanoi to be
ready TO leave on short notice.
A French army spokesman said
the troops were being pulled out Of
the delta's southern zone because
they are needed to protect Hanoi
and the supply lifeline between it
and Indochina's major seaport,
Haiphong, "a miles to the east.
Prepare Te Defend
The spokesman said the French
were shrinking their defense lines
to meet . possible attack by "six
Vietminh divisions massed on the
delta borders"
Such an attack-With Hanoi as
the main objective-has been ex-
pected ever since the rebels early
this month completed transfer to
the delta borders Of the thousands
Of battle-tested troops who overran
Diem Bien Phu.
Since then the French have
abandoned one after another Of
their small posts south Of Hanoi
under q policy Of tightening the
perimeter Of defense" Spokesman
insisted repeatedly, however, there
was no real evacuation Of any por-
ton Of the French-held territory.
(Associated Press Correspondent
Larry Allen, who recently went
from Hanoi to Singapore after two
years OF covering the Indochina
war, reported yesterday that the
French were preparing for last
ditch stand along the Hanoi-Hai-
phong rail and roadway unless q
cease-fire agreement at the Geneva
conference should forestall the an
ticipated Vietminh attack.
May Loss hanei
(Allen said the French already
envisioned they also might have TO
give up Hanoi and its COG, 900 inhab-
itants and were strengthening the
defenses OF Haiphong for 4 beach
head stand.)
The decision to withdraw from
the southern delta was made in the
face Of strenuous opposition from
officials Of the Wet Nam govern
ment headed by chief Of state Bao
Dsi, the ex-Emperor Of AMMAN.
Wet Mans new Premier, Ngo
Dinh Diem, flew to Hanoi yester-
day for conferences with North
Wet Nam Gov. Nguyen HUI Tri.
Tri told newsmen Tuesday that
10000 to $1,000 persons have been
evacuated from the four cities in
the southern part of the delta in
the past two weeks"
Vietnamese sources said those
being brought out, 10 Hanoi, were
French civilians and families OF
Vietnamese soldiers fighting with
French Enion forces.
Fear Increases
frances new Premier, Pierre
Meudes- France, has promised 10
win an armistice in Indochina by
July 20 OF resign. Since he took
office 10 days ago, fears have In
creased amo1lg Vietnamese allied
with the French that France would
agree to q settlement at Geneva
ceding all on most Of northern Indo-
china to the Communist-command-
ed rebels.
The United States has opposed
strongly any such partition OF the
country.
Gov. Tri termed the withdrawal
unnecessary" and said, The en-
tire delta should be defended"
"A decision to withdraw should
be based on an agreement which
has already been made between
the French and Vietminh at Gen
eva" he declared.
A French Army spokesman EN-.
phatieally denied tina. the with
drawAl was the result of any such