INDO-CHINA.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 221, 17 September 1940, Page 6

INDO-CHINA.

BATTLE MAY RAGE. JAPANESE AMBITIONS. COUNTRY WEAKLY DEFENDED The author hu Just returned from Xndo-Chlnv when be (pent Several months In the French Army after the outbreak of war. (By HENRY CABOURET.) Six months ago Indo-China was seldom heard of, but who could foretell the downfall and capitulation of France? How little did we know, in the French colonial army of Indo-China, that one day soon we were likely to be facing the Japanese ? Since tl»e capitulation the country has felt itself in constant danger cf attack. Rumour after rumour circulated throughout the country, to the effect that the Japanese were on their way.

General Oatroux, the then Governor>G«neral, who has since been replaced and has joined General de Gaulle's army, held conferences with a Japanese mission at Hanoi, the capital of IndoChina. At that time the Japanese demand was the closure of the Haiphong port to Chinese munitions. This was important to the Japanese, as in the last few years the port, leading to the road to Yunnan, has been China's lifeline source of supply. Now the Japanese have a system of controlling this once busy port. The Burma Road was left as China's only other source, but this, too, has been temporarily closed. So now China depends on Russia to help her Ss regards munitions.

Soon after Admiral Decaux, representing the Vichy Government, took power as Governor-General of Indochina, the Japanese Government fell and Prince Konoye's Imperialistic Government assumed power. Agitation and propaganda by the militarists and capitalists of Japan were exerted for a southward expansion. Japan regards Indo-China, the Dutch East Indies and perhaps New Guinea as her sphere. Hehce, now that the Japanese have met with reversals in the Chinese campaign, they are looking elsewhere at the same time for an easy prey. While France was her own master all went well, and diplomatic bluff took the place of war, but, like the Italians, the Japanese have taken the opportunity of taking a chance while the French are down.

Indo-China is a rich source of supplv to Japan for raw materials such as rice, rubber, lacquers, copra, minerals and cement, etc., and it iB not surprising that the Japanese are making demands on the weak Vichy Government. The Japanese, it is now reported, want air bases and authority to land troops. Should these demands be granted, Japan could attack China from Yunnan. Japan is trying desperately to encircle the Chinese, and at the same time to cut off all roads or likely sources of supply, j

I Chinese Will Resist Howe\er, the Chinese are also waiting for a Japanese thrust through. Indo- . . n ?" The Chinese have mustered 10 divisions on her border with French territory and should Japan attack the Chinese, too, will step over French territory in order to stem a Japanese advance through her southern province of Yunnan. At the same time, should the Japanese by force attack Indo-China. the Chinese will help the French to defend the country. France has been a good friend to China, and it is to China's advantage to keep the road open for munitions. So the battle is likely to rage on French territory very shortly. Indo-China could hare been "a French stronghold, but as the local Government have had to defend themselves with their own resources, I'm afraid the French Colonial Army will not be able to do much in the event of attack from tn® Japanese. The majority of the European population with the military] have realised that all is not lost with the present war in Europe, and their sympathies lie with General de Gaulle once more. With the Governor-General representing Petain, there is not much unity in the country. The morale is *°w, and the country's defences and fortifications are inadequate. The artillery guns are old. dating back to the 1898 models, the infantry are equipped with antiquated Russian guns and the navv consists of one cruiser and a few little patrol and river gunboats, which would be 'valueless against the modern Japanese fleet. At the same time there are not sufficient white men in the army to hold thousands of Japanese. The gun crews lack training and the officers lack experience, as most of them are of the reserve. I fail to see how the French, with their ill-equipped army, together with the Foreign Legion stationed in Tonlcin. will give battle to the Japanese, and it is a matter of days. I think, before the whole of Indo-China will be taken over by the Japanese. In the meantime, diplomatic bluff by the leaders of the FYwich Government in Indo-China continues, but it will fail eventuallv. Proximity to Siam. Had Indo-China committed itself on the side of de Gaulle soon after the capitulation, may be then help would have been given, not only by tKe British, ibut also by the Americans. Japan, by the way, has already atrreed to keep the status quo in the Far East, but there is little to show that the militarists will feel bound by this. In the event of the Japanese annexation of Indo-China, with Siam as a neighbour, and a Siamese militarist and nationalist pro-Japanese feeling in that country, Singapore, only two days* journey from Saigon by steamship, would, be affected. For. after IndoChina, it might before long be Siam's turn, and the canal project across the narrow isthmus of Siam might become practical. The French had every opportunity of defending and fortifying Indo-China, but now it is too late. Indo-China has not even an ordnance factory for malting a .303 ibullet. The country is dependent on outside sources for its own munitions.