MILITARY FORCES

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27593, 25 February 1955, Page 11

MILITARY FORCES

U.S. Strength In Asia

<N.Z. Press Association—CoppriphtJ (Rec. 10 p.m.) BANGKOK, Feb. 24. The S.E.A.T.O. Council was told today that the United States military effectiveness ,in the Far East now was in excess of the peak of American armed power during the war against Japan. ,

American conference sources reported that the eight Foreign Ministers at the council meeting were told the United States had 400 warships in the area, including her largest aircraftcarriers.

The sources said the council was told America estimated her naval forces in the area at 350,000 men, including malines. In addition, there were army divisions totalling 300,000 men and 30 squadrons of planes, including jet bombers and interceptors, as well as a reserve of readily-available strategic air power that could be flown in. America also told the conference that she was supporting 20 divisions in South Korea, costing 500,000,000 .SJISE? a yea s- On Formosa there were 300,000 armed men equipped by the United States.

Situation in Laos The United States is concerned over the situation in Laos. American reports were that the two northern provinces of the kingdom were under the control of the Communists and that the Laotian Government must be strengthened. The American view was that if war started in South-east Asia, aY, d not be confined to that part of the Far East. The anti-Communist forces m South Korea and Formosa were a deterrent factor against Chinese Communist aggression in South-east Asia. That was why it was more likely that the immediate threat tO ,. South-east Asia was subversion rather than overt aggression. The sources said the American delegation told the Foreign Ministers of the potential danger that existed in the South-east Asian area in the number of overseas Chinese living in the area. The delegation expressed the view they were likely to become a Communist force of subversion if they continued to have no place for their loyalty except to Communist China. - America also told the council that in the long run the peril to the free world emanating from Soviet Russia might be lessened by internal Russian conflicts such as Mr Malenkov’s resignation. But America considered the internal pressures might, in the immediate future, increase the danger of Communist aggression because such despotic Powers as Russia had to try to offset failures at home by blaming

The Americans were reported to have said that this danger must be recognised and that it was no good attempting to deal with the problem in South-east Asia alone.

1116 sources said America felt that not enough attention was being given to the broad basis of the international Communist problem and pointed out that even in South-east Asia there were a number of countries that were not in the S.E.A.T.O. pact. The American delegation also warned of the potential power of Japan and that further efforts must be made to prevent Japan from becoming economically dependent on the Communist Powers.