U.S. Accused Of Violating Truce

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30944, 28 December 1965, Page 9

U.S. Accused Of Violating Truce

(N.Z.P.A. Reuter—Copyright)

HONG KONG, Dec. 27.

North Vietnam today said that the United States had violated the Christmas truce on Christmas Eve.

The North Vietnam News Agency said that American troops violated the cease-fire order and never kept their promise to observe the truce. The agency quoted a Western news agency report of continued artillery action by the American Ist Air Cavalry Division for four hours after the beginning of the 30-hour truce period. The commander of the battery involved, Captain O'Neil Crocker, said the unit had continued routine fire because “we simply did not get any official word on the start of the truce from divisional headquarters.” The North Vietnam agency said:

“Thus, that is the ‘respect for the cease-fire order’ and ‘good-will for peace’ of the U.S. aggressors. “These were deliberate acts of war which can in no way be justified by the ‘delay of information’ as the U.S. troops are known to have the most adequate means of information.

“To whitewash their vile acts,' the U.S. ordered their henchmen in Saigon to spread the news that ‘several Viet Cong-initiated actions took place at isolated posts and villages’ during the cease-fire period.” The agency said that a Western news agency, on December 25, had reported that “the guns remained silent in Vietnam today as the Communists honoured the 30-hour Christmas truce.”