Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-04-28
Fierce Battle in Saigon
Costs Toll in Hundreds
War Opened
On Rebels
By Premier

SAIGON, 1ndo-C China. April
% (P.-Flames burned a square
mile of Saigon tonight and hum
dreds were killed or wounded in
bloody fighting for control Of
South Wet Mans government.
The American-supported Pre-
mier Ngo Dinh Diem declared
war to the finish against the
rebel Binh Xuyen Society after
a triple attack on Mr.. Diem's
palace, fsmy and police head
quarters.
Three battalions of nationalist
infantrymen and parachute
troopers, using maAhineguns and
supported by tanks, pressed the
attack on the society of former
river pirates 5,000-man private
army.
Premier Asks Calm
At nightfall, with Saigon I'M
der pail of smoke. the premier
appealed over the government
radio for calm. He said the
government troops had the situ-
alton in hand.
He accused Binh Xuyen Gen.
LIE Van Wen of touching of q
civil war and disobeying an or
der from Chief Of State Bao Dai
to refrain from violence.
After six hours Of fighting the
army said it had disengaged the
Binh Xuyen from both Nation
alist army headquarters and the
headquarters of the National
Surete, or security police, where
there had been some hand-to-
hand fighting.
Rebels Pressed Back
Massed Nationalist forces were
pressing the Binh xuyen back
toward the bridge which leads to
their territory In Cho Lon. about
seven miles from the French
residential business area.
Binh Xuyen, which controls
Saigons gambling and vice
spots, started the battle at ITO
pm. with two mortar lombard
nlents Of the nationalist Pre-
lnier's palace.
Mr.. Diem met the challenge
promptly by declaring about
war on the Binh Xuyen. He had
held off direct military inter-
vention because of French fears
such action would touch off civil
war.
Casualties were estimated in
first reports at 100 dead and 300
wounded. Hospitals were filled
with the dead and dying.
Punching swiftly and hard,
Mr.. Diem's troops knocked over
four principal garrisons and
posts held in Saigon and Cho-
Ion, the Chinese sector of the
capital several miles from the
French section. The total popu-
lation of the city. swollen by an
influx of refugees from the
north. is about 2 million. The
Nationalist threw an artillery
barrage against the Binh Xuyen
headquarters near Cholon.
Struggle for Control
This. in brief, is the back
ground behind the struggle for
control of non Communist South
Wet Nam. upon which the West
and particularly the United
States is counting to hold the
tide against the Communist
north:
! The Binh Xuyen. along with
two religious sects. the Hoa Hao
and Gao Dai, have been demand.
ing that Mr.. Diem quit in favor
of coalition in which they
would have increased represen-
tation. He has refused. Last
March 80 the Binh Xuyen
touched off an attack in which
at least 26 persons were killed.
A truce ended that fighting. but
Mr.. Diem did not relent in his
efforts to put his government in
complete control of the situa-
ton. To gain that control he
sought to take over the National
Surete, from the Binh xuyen.
Today's fighting broke out
within 80 minutes of a deadline
set by Army Col. Nguyen Ngoc
lie to get the Binh Xuyen troops
off the streets. Col. lie was
named head Of the Surete two
days ago by Mr.. Diem.
There is no question of stop
ping now" spokesman for the
premier said tonight. I'VE cam
See WET NAM. Page "A