‘Ideological Waverings’

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31135, 11 August 1966, Page 17

‘Ideological Waverings’

(N.Z. Press Assn. —Copyright) SAIGON, August 10. North Vietnam has bluntly criticised Communist elements in South Vietnam for “ideological waverings” caused by the stepped-up American war effort, it was rev e a 1 e d yesterday, United Press International reported. General Nguyen Chi Thanh, a leading North Vietnamese military officer, said the United States would not win the war, even if it brought in hundreds of thousands more troops to South Vietnam. CANBERRA DECISION The Australian Government has agreed to the commander of United States forces in Vietnam, General W. Westmoreland, having operational control of Australian forces there, the Australian Minister for Defence, Mr A. Fairhall, said yesterday in Canberra when giving further details of command arrangements of the Australian task force in Vietnam. Mr Fairhall said the task force was now responsible for ’n operational base area in the south western portion of Phuoc Tuy province, together with a surrounding tactical area. Domination of this area of responsibility by the task force would contribute to the security of the port of Vung Tau and several key communications routes. TRUCE TALKS President Johnson yesterday reiterated American readiness to sit down at any 'time in any place to discuss

a Vietnam peace settlement. He was replying to a press conference question on whether the United States had changed its view on the presence at a truce table of representatives of the Viet Cong. The President said the United States position on peace talks was clear to anyone interested in the question. “If they had as much information on the views of the others as they have on the views of the United States we would be closer towards peace.” The President emphatically denied published reports that it would take a United States force of 750,000 men five years to complete the Vietnam war, and eight years at the present force levels.

“We have not been able to find anything of that report in the Government here,”

he said, with a touch of sarcasm. The South Vietnamese Prime Minister, General Ky, arrived in Manila today for a State visit to be greeted by demonstrating students. As he and his wife arrived on a flight from Saigon, parading students carried signs reading, “Stop Massacre, Stop Cao Ky” and “Ky, Free World Dictator.” General Ky’s visit to the Philippines was prompted by Manila’s decision to send 2000 non-combat troops to Vietnam to help in the war effort.