Evening star., 1962-05-15
POLICY
Army Marine, Air Force Units
Augment Soldiers on Mekonq River
Continued From Page Al

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of national union"
In advance of the White
House announcement, there
had been reports that Mr.. Ken
nedy had informed congress
sional leaders at an early
forenoon meeting that United
States Marines would begin
landing in Thailand within a
matter Of hours.
The additional Army force
sent to Thailand win come from
Hawaii.
The Marines will land from
q 7th Fleet task force now off
Thaiiand with their own air
5upport.
Air Force Squadron
The Army battle group will
be supported by Pacific Com
mand A rec units, probably
a 5th A; &c squadron to be
sent dow rom Japan.
These are the only troop
movements reported to be con-
templated by the President at
this time, although Army and
Air Force units in the United
States have been alerted to fly
to the Pacific, if necessary, to
fill the gaps left by the troops
moving into Thailand.
Difficult, Says HaIleck
House Republican Leader
Halleck said after the White
House conference that the situ-
alton in Southeast Asia is 'cer-
tainly very difficult"
AS to the nature Of the dis
cussion with the President, he
would only say there were no
commitments asked and none
given"
The President was under
stood to have told the bipar-
tisan group that the primary
United States purpose is to help
defend Thailand.
The 5,000-man American
force in Thailand, though
small, is well-equipped and
trained and should provide
the most effective part Of the
Thai defense. Thailand itself
has q e0,000-man army, in
cluding several thousand crack
Ranger units.
LaOtian Strength
The Royal Laotian Army,
considerably disorganized, after
last weeks Communist assaults,
had totaled $4,000 men.
The Pathet Lao, the Com
n1nnist insurgents in Laos,
number an estimated 10000.
They are backed up by North
Wet Nam, which has a 300, ,000-
man army, parts Of it we'll
equipped and trained.
Red China, which Americans
believe is sponsoring the ag-
gression in Laos, has an army
estimated at / million men.
II there should be a fight in
Southeast Asia, directly in
volving North Wet Namese and
Red Chinese troops, only a
snail fraction of these massive
armies could successfully be de-
played and supported in Laos
or at the Mekong River line
which, for the most part, con-
stttntes the border between
Laos and Thailand.
The United States forces are
designed to convince the
Communists directing the war
Of covert aggression" in Laos
that they must stop.
Admiral FeIt's View
Admiral Harry D. Felt, boss
Of the vast and powerful Pa
cific Command, repeatedly has
told Secretary of Defense Nc
Namara that faced with such
an American and Thai show
of strength and determination,
the Reds will have no choice
but TO stop their aggression.
Admiral Felt hopes that the
Communists viii accept the
political settlement of a "neu-
tral" Laos sought by the ad-
ministration, but he Is conf
dent that the Communists win |
not try to push their military |
aggression beyond the Mekong
River.
II Admiral Felt is wrong,
and II the Reds do try to cross |
the line President Kennedy |
has drawn. the administration |
fully intends to fight. WELL
informed circles say.
The political solution, how
ever, will, be tried first. Russia |
is being pressured to call off
her Communist friends in Red
China and North Wet Nam,
and efforts to secure a coali-
ton government In Laos will
be continued.
Fear II Won't Work
Many military analysts be-
lieve that this most certainly
will not work as far as Laos
itself Is concerned.
The Red advance through
Laos has stopped after last
weeks swift successes through
out the country, but military
men say the Reds are capable
of continuing it to the Mekong
River whenever they want to.
Laotian defenses, nevereffec-
tive at best, are now disorgan-
lied and panicked. The Royal
Laotian government has not
been following American mill
tary advice.
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