Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-07-26
Mounting Red Offensive :
Anticipated in Wet Nam
BY FRED s. HOFFMAN
Associated Press staff Writer

United States officials antici-
pate 3 mounting Communist
guerrilla offensive in South
Wet Nam in the next so or
80 days.
Informed sources said today
Secretary Of Defense McNa-
mara was told at his Honolulu
conferences that it is highly
possible the Red Wet Cong will
step up their attacks to counter
increasing pressure from United
States-supported government
forces.
American authorities, it was
learned, also believe the Com
munists may become more ag-
gressive as part Of a drive to
establish a rump regime in
South Wet Nam.
Huh United States officials
are worried that the Commu-
mist North Wet NaTnese meg
try to follow a pattern like that
worked successfully in neigh
boring Laos.
Challenge Government
There, the pro Communist
Pathet Lao rebels seized control
Of a portion of the country and
organized regime which chal-
Hanged the pro- Western govern
Ilent in Vietiane ultimately the
pro Western government of
Laos was unseated and re-
placed by a neutralist regime
believed to lean leftward.
Informants familiar with the
discussions in Honolulu early
this week said the South Wet
Namese forces will do their best
to prevent the Communist. Wet
Cong from consolidating in any
sector.
Admittedly, officials said, this
will be difficult, even with
South Wet Namese troops being
flown by United States helicop-
tiers into jungle and mountain
areas where the Communists
long have had free rein.
So far, informants said, there
has been no big-scale flow of
Communist reinforcementS into
South Wet Nam across the La
otian border since the fighting
in Laos ended.
Between May and mid
June, they said. patrols spotted
somewhat more than 1000
gherrillas moving into South
Wet Nam by that route. Since
then. few more have been seen.
,Officials suggested that Com
munists send in reinforcements
ID waveS-that is, one batch is
absorbed into the population of
South Wet Nam before another
group starts out.
U. S. Action Paying Off
The South Wet Namese
Army, it was reported, has in
creased its patrols along the
jilngle-covered Laotian border
in recent months.
Gen. Paul D. Harkins, Amer
lean chief in South Wet Nam,
vas said to have given Mr..
Mcnamara a report that was
generally optimistic.
1.-THE actions we have taken
IN the last six months have
begun to pay off," one author
ity said. within the next six
months we should see more
results"
Once again, 1t was stressed
chat the war in South Wet
Nam probably will last for
years.
Mr.. Mcnamara was told the
strategic hamlet program is
moving ahead. To date, 2,400
Of these new settlements have
peen built, many of them heav-
Ny fortified to stand off Com
tnunist attacks. The goal is
to have 1000 Of these villages
Started by January /.
Under this program, peas
ants are removed from areas
where they are Vulnerable to
Communist coercion and re-
settled in protected towns with
ih reach of South Wet Namese
forces.
Authorities said there has
been a definite gain toward
greater political freedom for
the peasants and that this has
undercut a major Communist
Propaganda pitch.
: Leaders of the new settle
Inents are being chosen by
secret ballot, these authorities
said.