INDO CHINA FIGHTING

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26244, 16 October 1950, Page 7

INDO CHINA FIGHTING

U.S. Plans Additional Aid To French Forces

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 11 p.m.) ‘ PARIS. Oct. 14. Although describing the situation in Indo-China as serious, the French military authorities in Paris said to-day that they were confident that, with more men and adequate American arms, they would decisively defeat the insurgents. They added that victory depended on Communist China not taking an active part in the fighting. In Washington, United States Government officials said the United States planned to shift substantial numbers of aircraft, artillery, and other weapons, from Korea to Indo-China as soon as the Korean situation permitted. The officials also reported that in the last few days the United States had raised arms shipments to Indo-China to world priority No. 2, with Korea priority No. 1. They said, however, that no American troops or airmen would take over combat roles in Indo-China.

The United States Secretary of Defence (General George Marshall) has promised that shipments of American arms will be rushed to the French forces in Indo-China. He gave this assurance to the French Defence Minister (Mr Jules Moch) at a secret conference in Washington. According to a message from Saigon the bulk of the French garrison which evacuated the fortress of Thatke, on the Chinese frontier, fought its way safely to Nacham, 30 miles to the south-east. A French Army spokesman said that more than 700 survivors of “a bloody frontier battle” with Vietminh forces between October 2 and October 10 had reached the French mountain footrest of Lagson, south-east of Nacham. Reinforcements from Madagascar and North Africa are on their way to Indo-China to help the French troops. The reinforcements are described as “only a first contingent of the necessary force.” According to a message from Hong Kong, the High Command of the Chinese People’s Army is concentrating 150,000 troops on the Indo-China frontier.

The message says that 470 trucks have been assembled at Liuchow, in the southernmost area of the Kwangtung Province, for moving up large quantities of arms and munitions.