INDO-CHINA

Grey River Argus, 28 July 1941, Page 5

INDO-CHINA

JAPANESE ENTRY FORTY THOUSAND TROOPS Expected Yesterday lAus. & N.Z. Cable Assn.] (Rec. 9.30) LONDON, July 26. According to reports both Irom Vichy and from Tokio, France and Japan have concluded an agreement for the mutual defence of Indo-China. It is reliably reported that tne agreement makes provisions for the following:— , . The stationing of forty thousand Japanese troops in Indo-China, who are to be maintained by Indo-China. The occupation of Cam R’anh Bay. The occupation of Saigon air base. General Sumita and other Japanese officers arrived at Saigon to-day, SatJapanese warshins and transports are expected at Saigon to-morrow (Sunday). T T , SAIGON, Julv 25. The French military staff has departed for Tonkin. Associated Press reports state that French warplanes are preparing to move likewise. LONDON, July 25. There are unofficial reports of the arrival of some Japanese forces to form naval and air bases in IndoChina, but they are not confirmed It is revealed that Indo-China was recently offered the protection of the democracies of the United States, the British Commonwealth of Nations, and the Netherlands East Indies, protection such as that which was sufficient to save the Netherlands East Indies from attack in th? previous Eastern crisis. The otter was neither accepted nor refused, but simply ignored.

To Halt Japan U.S.A. OBSERVER’S IDEA. JOINT BRITAIN AND U.S.A. ACTION. (Received Julv 27. 10.0 pm.). WASHINGTON. Julv 26. In the New York “Herald-Tri-bune” Mr Feilding Eliot stated: n f ' r current coun leaves Japan far from her goal- —and her Indo-China sunplv lines are vulnerable tn attack hot.from Hong Kong and Manila There are no roads in Indo-China to enable the Japanese to concentrate men and sunn’ies in for a great campaign against Thailand or British Malay. Indo-China itself canrint supoprt a great offensive o' pnv kind. “If the Western Powers with or without an-c Soviet aid, stick firmly together, and determine io resist, with armed force, anv further Japanese aggression, they will sti 1 have every means of doin'* so. and t’e Japanese move into Tndo-Chm doos not great Iv improve Japan’s nosit on It can be dangerous to our interests in the Far only if we perrn-t it to become so.”

Chinese Confidence THAT JAPAN WILL BE CHECKED CHUNGKING. JuR 25. Mr Ouotaichi said that Japan’s occupation of Indo-China .ieop'rdise? all .other Powers’ rights and po'sessions in the Western Pacific. China would resolutely pursue her resistance in the firm belief t’iat th“ other Powers would not allow the latest Japanese to ro unchecked until it was too late and too costly to alter. CHINA’S CHANCE. FORCES STRENGTHENED. LONDON. Julv 26. Authoritative Quarters in Chungking stated that in view of the Japanese occupation of Indo-China, the Chinese had consolidated and strengthened the equipment of the crack units defending tho Yunnan and Kwanesi frontiers and the Burma Road. The “Central China News” states that Clrno'-e forces attacked vigorously in the Canton region from where manv Jananese troops were recenflv withdrawn and inflicted heavv Jananese casualties, despite strong air sunnort Jaonn’s rno’"’ m Indo-China is nected to result in a shen reduction in r’ce imnorfs and aFo h°mpei Hong Kong shinp’n<* movements.

Mr Eden’s Statement

JAPAN’S “NEW AGGRESSION.”

(80.W.) RUGBY, Julv 2t> Japanese action in demanding bases in Indo-China was character as “this new agcression, by. the Foreign Secretary (Mr Eden), in a statement clarifying the position oi the Br'tish Government. Mr Eden said although there was as vet no official news of the conclusion of a definite agreement between the Japanese and Vichy Gov ernments. or of the Japanese occupation of further bases, it was quite I evident that both events were imnew aggression animated by Japln has been g clear for some time nast ” he said: I made allusion two davs ago to the cloud of accusations against the authorities of In-do-China, allegations that it was th intention of Britain to make an attack on Indo-China, not to mention other assertions of an eauafiy base Jess character. Propaganda of this kind is a customarv prelude to a fresh act of violence by the Axis and their associates. In the present case, the fact lhat occupation of. bases in southern Indo-Chm- is taking place with the consent of Vichy, does not obscure the fact that Japan achieved her obiect by making demands, backed by threats of force if they, were not complied with. To tnsorry tale of humiliation to which Vichy has subjected the French people, is added the new indignity of having to accede to so-called pi otection bv Japan against a threat which everyone knows does not exiSt‘‘The 'British Government regard this development as a potential threat to their own territory, and interests in the Far East. In anticipation of this, the British Government ° been in close communication with the United States Government, the Government of the Netherlands, and of course, His Majesty’s Dominions’ Governments. The attitude of the United States Government has Koan nubliclv announced in no uncertain ternis by the Acting-Secret-certain . an( j J am sure the House f wni ioin me in welcoming that tiJ Mr y Fden te Tdded that certain de- , measures in Malaya had alfence S enforced, “in view of the threat to our territory which +hl Tananese action implies.’ It J S P authoritatively stated here that certain defence measures have S Ma7ava been n already territories. which Japanese action] in Indo-China imnlies.