PEACE ‘OUT OF THE QUESTION,’ SAYS HO

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31114, 18 July 1966, Page 11

PEACE ‘OUT OF THE QUESTION, ’ SAYS HO

Further Mobilisation In North Vietnam

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) TOKYO, July 17. The North Vietnamese President, Ho Chi Minh, today ordered the mobilisation of reserve officers and rear guard forces and said Vietnam peace was “out of the question,” United Press International reported.

The Hanoi Government also ordered its Army to “extend all out support” to the Viet Cong in South Vietnam, according to a special Radio Hanoi broadcast, monitored in Tokyo, the Associated Press reported.

“We will never sur- 1 render,” Ho said. There was no men- ’ tion of how many men would be mobilised. Ho warned that the war would continue for many years despite the increased United States bombing attacks on his country. The radio also said that the North Vietnamese people must be prepared to face “some destruction” in the country. Ho’s mobilisation order and a supreme National Defence Council communique were reported by the North Vietnam News Agency. The agency said the standing committee of the National Assembly “decided to mobilise part of reserve officers, non-commissioned officers and Army men, and part of the citizens belonging to the reserves of the Army.” In words strongly indicating that Hanoi planned to increase its dispatch of troops to South Vietnam, the news agency quoted the National Defence Council communique as saying: Air Attacks “For the sake of our kith-and-kin sentiments let the Army and people of the north extend all-out Support to the patriotic resistance war of our southern compatriots.” In his 800 word statement, Ho declared: “The United States aggressors have brazenly launched air attacks on North Vietnam in an attempt to get out of the quagmire in the south and to impose on us negotiation on their terms. “But North Vietnam will not falter. Our Army and people have shown redoubled eagerness in the emulation to produce and fight heroically. Long War "So far, we have blasted out of the skies more than 1200 enemy aircraft. We are determined to defeat the enemy’s war of destruction.” The North Vietnamese President, whose statement was described by the Hanoi agency as an “appeal,” declared that even if the United States threw one million men or more into the Vietnam war and intensified its bombings, and though the war might last “five, 10, 20 years or longer,” and Hanoi, Haiphong and other cities and enterprises might be destroyed, “the Vietnamese people will not be intimidated.” The Japan Broadcasting

Corporation quoted Ho as saying: “The United States Imperialists are madly intensifying air raids in Hanoi and Haiphong areas and are moving desperately toward desperate measures. “They also are expanding war efforts in South Vietnam. “But, the North Vietnamese will not surrender.” Ho said: “North Vietnam believes that all socialistic States and all the world governments will extend us in-

creased aid till we score our final victory.” The Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact nations recently declared they were ready to send “volunteers” to North Vietnam if Hanoi asked for them. Ho’s declarations today that his country apparently was preparing for harder fighting gave no indication, however,

that he had asked for the "volunteers.”

Ho’s broadcast brought initial relief to Washington’s fears over the fate of American pilots captured in North Vietnam.

But his determination to stick out the war was considered as opening gloomy prospects in the longer run. In Saigon, diplomats said North Vietnam’s call-up of reserve officers and men represented “a kind of escalation” of the war. The United States Embassy in Saigon withheld comment. One allied diplomat, however, said: “It is difficult to foresee how this mobilisation is going to change the military situation. No Reaction “We’ve been faced with massive infiltration by the North Vietnamese for some time, and this is our main worry. “The mobilisation could mean they can man more anti-aircraft sites and that sort of thing. And it could have some psychological impact.” There was no reaction immediately from United States military headquarters, which ordinarily does not comment on North Vietnamese statements. Viet Cong Move About the same time as North Vietnam’s National Defence Council was in session, the presidium of the South Vietnam National Liberation Front (Viet Cong) also held an extraordinary meeting to assess the progress of the war and to map • future strategy. The radio carried the text • of a Viet Cong communique r on the meeting. i It said the session had r decided on “a series of im- : portant steps and measures to strengthen unity and consolit date and expand the united s front against United States > aggression and for national .salvation.”