Evening star., 1954-05-10
Laos Fears Invasion
ByViet MinhinW Wake
OfFortress' Fall
sy the AssoeIo.sd Press

ASEA4ANO4Np 4AANO-SAAAAAeSe way
10.-The seven-year do-China
war was back in the fearful
waiting phase again today fol-
lowing the fall of Diem Bien Phu.
In the kingdom of Laos, south
of the fallen fortress, there was
uneasy speculation that a new
invasion toward the Laotian
royal capital of Luang Prabang
might be high on the war plans
of the Communicated Wet Mimi.
A French high command
spokesman in Hanoi said he
doubted the rebels would mount
another general offensive in
Northern Indo- China before the
seasonal monsoon rains hit their
peak at the end of June.
French Planes Attack.
French fighters and bombers
heavily attacked key roads lead
ing northeastward from Dien
Bien Phu. The roads are jammed
with thousands of Communist
led Wet Mimi troops and big
Molotov truck conveys.
Wet Mimi troops and conveys
also were reported moving into
and out of the Thai country Of
northwestern Indo-China. Those
going-in may be for reinforcing
Wet Mini positions in Thai
capital Of Lai Chau, 200 miles
northwest of Hanoi. They also
may be intended to take over
occupation of the Dien Bien Phu
sector.
Reds Attack in Delta.
The Wet Mini kept up their
daily small attacks on French
communications and scattered
French Union defense posts in
the Red River delta centered on
Hanoi.
French planes ranging over
Northwest Indo- China yesterday
spotted scattered groups of rebel
soldiers lining up bands Of the
captives for the long march over
the jungled mountains to con-
centration camps in the north.
The day before the French fly
ers had spotted a long column
of men, presumably prisoners,
marching north from the valley
site of the valiant last stand.
French authorities held hope
those captured at Dien Bien Phu
might be exchanged. AS a prec-
edent, they cited the swap of
wounded the Wet Mimi allowed
after the rebel seizure in 1850 of
Caobang. near the Chinese from
tier.
The French spokesman
claimed that the Wet Minis
battle corps is broken" He re-
ferred to heavy losses in the 56
days of fighting which followed
the first massive rebel assault
on the besieged fortress.
Overall Wet Mini losses in the
great infantry charges, interven-
ing days of skirmishing and con-
stant air and artillery attack
have been estimated as high as
$4,000 Gen. Henri Navarro,
French Union commander in
1ndo-China, put the figure at
about $4,000. however.
The French have given no in
dication of their own losses at
Dien Bien Phu, except to say
from time to time they had been
heavy in some particular action.
Lying athwart a major route
south to Laos. Dien Bien 'Phu
had been a big deterrent to an
other Wet Mimi march on that
interior Indo-China kingdom.
Laos Fears New Move.
Military sources at Vietiane.
the Kingdoms administrative
capital. feared the rebel COM
mander. Gen. Vo Nguyen Clap,
might move on them again.
Only few battalions of
French and Laotian troops are
in Northern Laos to bar an
other rebel march on Luang
Prabang. The Wet Mini have
invaded the kingdom three
times already, twice from the
north and once from the south
east, but always have with
drawn without forcing a military
decision.
Laos Crown Prince Savang
Vatthana admitted that the fall
of Dien Bien Phu might have
grave military consequences
for Laos" but said it should
not be considered as markedly
reducing the combat potential
of the French and the Asso-
ciated States of Indo-China."
Observers also speculated that
Clap, after regrouping. resting
and re-equipping his forces
from Dien Bien Phu, might turn
part or all of them toward the
rich Red River delta for a new
drive on the union forces en-
trenched there.
COgny Doubts Early Attack.
"a dispatch from Hanoi to
the French Press Agency in
Paris quoted Gen. Rene Cogny,
French commander in North
1ndo-China. as saying he be-
lieved there would be no at
tack soon on the Red River
delta or Laos before Septem-
ber.
(Gen. Cogny said he believed
the rebels would rest and re-
group at their bases in the
northern mountains through