Evening star., 1954-06-07
Wet Mimi Get Back
To Delta Positions
For Major Assault
Diem Bien Phu Men
Form Pincers for
Red River Area
BY the Associated Press

HANOI, Indo-C China, June T.
Wet Mimi troops which crushed
Dien Bien Phu have wheeled back
into position all around the de-
fense lines guarding the vital Red
River delta. the French high
command announced today. The
rebel forces form a gigantic pin
GERS threatening an about as
sault to drive the French from
their North Indo- China baStion.
Barring the slim chance the
Geneva conference might stop
the war by ordering a cease-fire.
indications increased that the
Communst-led rebels will hit the
delta with everything they have
before the end of June.
A French army spokesman said
rebel infantry units estimated
at upwards Of 10000 troops-had
completed their movements back
to the bases from which they
moved to capture Diem Bien Phu.
Other rebel troops repeatedly
were moving toward the delta
area from the southwest.
The French continued to build
up their forces in the strategic
area, pouring in reinforcement S
from other parts of Indo-China
and from Europe.
Expected to Attack Road.
In an all-out assault, the
French expect the rebels to try
first to isolate Hanoi by sever
ing the road and rail lines link
ing the city with the port Of
Haiphong, "a miles to the east.
These routes are the lifeline
for continued resistance to the
Communicated tide. for they
carry the bulk Of United States
supplied war material from
Haiphong to Hanoi and the
fighting fronts.
Wet Mimi attacks cut the
routes nightly. but French pa
trolls and repairmen reopen them
for about six hours of traffic
daily.
Aware that Hanoi might be
encircled and cut off, the French
are heavily reinforcing the de-
fenSes Of the seaport and the
DoSon peninsula IL miles south
east of it.
To both these, the French
probably could cling a long time
if they had to be used as beach,
heads.
Thousands of Wet NameSe liv-
ing in villages around Haiphong
and Doson are being evacuated
to make way for new defense
preparations.
South and southeastward OF
Hanoi, deep in the delta. the
French are constructing their en-
tire defense network.
They are leaving to the Wet
Mini most of the small defense
posts the rebels capture every
night in overwhelming assaults
But the French are holding
and say they intend to defend
such road junction points and
rice and industrial areas as Phu
Ly, Nam Dinh and Thai Binh,
within an area 80 to SIS miles
south and southeast of Hanoi.
Also on the ''hold" list is the
Phat Diem sector, rs miles south
east of Hanoi and the home Of
600, 900 Catholics.
Grim Prospect for Ely.
The situation presents a grim
prospect for Gen. Paul Ely,
newly appointed commander in
chief of French Union forces in
Indo-C China. He left Paris yes
terday by air to take over the
post from Gen. Henri Navarro.
Wet Namese Premier Buu Loc
said in Saigon, meanwhile, pro-
posals at Geneva for a cease-fire
cannot in any way threaten
our national unity" The Premier
returned yesterday from a
months absence in France, where
he initiated two treaties which
he said recognize the total in
dependence Of Wet Nam and its
free association with France" /"
Wet Namese political leaders
have feared the Geneva confer
ence might produce Partition
ing of Wet Nam