Evening star., 1961-06-07
LAOS
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nists refused. The commission
thus did little to keep an eye
on the opposing forces.
The rebel attack on Padong
was well underway while Presi-
dent Kennedy was telling the
United States in TV-radio
addeSS from the White House
last night that Laos was the
one area which afforded some
immediate prospect of accord.
Reporting on his talks in
Paris, Vienna and London, Mr..
Kennedy said both sides at
Vienna recognized the need to
reduce the dangers in the
Laotian situation. Both sides
indorSed the concept of a
neutral and independent Laos,
he added, much in the manner
of Burma or Cambodia.
"Of critic a | Importance to
the current conference on Laos
in Geneva" Mr.. Kennedy said,
both sides recognized the i'm
portance of an effective cease
fire. =. I am hopeful that
progress can be made on this
matter in the coming days at
Geneva, for that would greatly
improve international atmoS-
pheres."
Hypocrisy Mentioned
One Western delegate at
Geneva spoke strongly of
Soviet hypocrisy" The Com
munists charged throughout
the attacks on Padong tn 1t
they were simply trying to wipe
out bandits. They alleged that
the village was unoccupied
when the cease fire was called
and that the Meo fighters and
royal government troops were
dlr-urOppeQ ldCeT.
An American military adviser
messaged from the front htat
the Pathet Lao rebels laid down
an extremely heavy" barrage
and then attacked with in
fa1ltry.
The royal government forces,
estimated at 1000, began fall
ing. back in the early hours of
the morning to new defense
line.
THE attack began yesterday,
after a week of relative calm
around the government held
village on a 6,000-foot mountain
slope.
Reports to Vientiane old not
give the number of men the
rebels threw into the attack
nor any idea of casualties.
1t. Col. Wang Pao, the Meo
commander Of the Padong gar
rison, had charged that North
Wet Namese troops were fight
ing with the Laotian rebels.
,Caliber of Shells Identified
Enemy shells raining on Pa
dong were identified as from
75-mn1. hoWitzers and Soviet
made 82-mm. cannon.
Messages from the front said
the heavy artillery barrage
opened at $3.50 am. yesterday
and continued until S pm.
when the rebel infantrymen
attacked the village.
The strategic setback in the
loss of Padong could not be
Immediately evaluated, but the
village represented an impor-
tant prestige point in the tug
of-war.
"A liaison officer who flew to
Vientiane with three wounded
soldiers said he knew of 3
killed and 35 wounded in the
onslaught that toppled Padong,
but this was not the final toll.
The Padong base camp was
evacuated about 7 am. An
American military advisory
group, made up of a captain
and five noncommiSSioned Of
ficers, was reported withdraw
ing with a detachment of about
300 of the garrisQn's regulars
and MEO fighters.
There was no word of the
number of men the rebels threw
into the attack.
One of the wounded, hit by
shell splinters in the chest and
legs, said "Lai la, lai, Ia" which
IN Lao means many, many
shells fell.
The MEO laiason officer
while admitting he had not yel
any accurate reports, said tn;
MEO had withdrawn northeast
of Padong but would hold on.
Another helicopter mean.
while brought two soldiers will
rifle wounds from One Hong
~