Evening star., 1954-05-13

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the fortress fell under tragic
conditions, it's defense had not
been in vain.
The balky Assembly members
are to vote on the confidence
issue later today. The outcome
will decide the fate of the Laniel
government and possibly that of
the Geneva Conference as well.
If 314 negative votes are cast at
the session, Mr.. Laniel will have
to resign. His coalition cabinet
is rounding out it's. 18th month
in offce-an unusually long term
In France.
Hostility Still Evident.
Much hostility to Mr.. Laniel
still seemed in evidence in the
Assembly at the start of the de-
bate but the general sentiment
seemed to be he would be con-
tinued in Office, at least a little
while longer.
Recounting details of the es-
tabliShment of the northwest In
do-China fortress at Diem Bien
Phu, its siege and it's fall, Mr..
Laniel said no government could
have done more than his to help
the besieged bastion.
"The battle of Dien Bien Phu
marked the turning point in the
resources available to the Wet
MIMI" he asserted. He said the
quantities of heavy arms and
personnel thrown in by the Wet
Mimi were so great that the de-
tenders of Dien Bien Phu were
unable to hold their own.
Human waves of troops
charged the defenders. These
were Chinese tactics" said Mr..
Laniel. He said many of the
preparations indicated Wet Mimi
troops had been closely instructed
by the Chinese.
Mr.. Laniel asserted Diem Bien
Phu was organized as a fortress
to resist one type of army but
was unable to meet the attack
from Chinese type of army"
Everything possible was done
during good flying weather to
drop supplies by parachute, he
said. and 200 tons of supplies
were flown in every day when
decent flying weather prevailed.
All possible aerial help was sent
from France to Indo-China, he
added. saying all of Frances pis-
ton engine f1ghters-the only
type suitable for the Indo-Chi-
nese war-two-thirds of it's
transport fleet and most of it's
trained crews were sent to Indo-
China, along with technicians.
AS for reinforcementS, he said,
seven up to the final day, COM
manders had more volunteers to
parachute into Dien Bien Phu
than they could use for this mis-
sion." Sustained applause from
the Assembly interrupted his
speech after this statement.
IndO- China Debate Is Issue.
The issue was the Premier's
demand that debate on Indo-
China be postponed until after
the Geneva conference. He won
a 311-262 confidence vote on the
same question last Thursday, but
that was before the fall of Dien
Bien Phu aroused nationwide
bitterness.
In Mr.. Laniel'S favor, however,
French Foreign Minister Georges
Bidault is in the midst of nego-
tiations at Geneva for much
desired peace in Indo-China. To
throw out the government now
would mean throwing out Mr..
Bidault as well. While much of
the resentment in the Assembly
was directed against the foreign
minister, many deputies were
hesitant about leaving France
voiceless at Geneva because of a
cabinet crisis.
The general desire to have
France fully represented at in
ternational conferences has done
much to keep Mr.. Laniel in
Office. He won previous conf
dence votes because Of then
impending negotiations, first at
Bermuda and later in Berlin.