'Major Increase In U.S. Bombing'

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30978, 7 February 1966, Page 13

' Major Increase In U.S. Bombing '

(N.Z.P.A. Reuter —Copyright) NEW YORK, Feb. 6. The Columbia Broadcasting System said last night that it had learned “on the highest authority” that President Johnson had ordered a major increase in the United States bombing in Vietnam.

The report, from its correspondent, Martin Agronsky, in Washington, did not specify whether this applied to targets in North Vietnam, South Vietnam, or both. Mr Agronsky told Reuter later that he was referring primarily to bombing of the North.

His report said plans called for a February bomb tonnage 50 per cent higher than in any month before the recent pause, and two and a half times greater than in any month of the Korean War. “This February air offensive escalation will be in-

creased significantly each succeeding month,” it added. Mr Agronsky also reported that President Johnson and his advisers at their meetings in Hawaii were working on a plan to integrate the United States and South Vietnamese land war with an intensive pacification programme for all recaptured territory. This plan was said to envisage “a new politicallyoriented South Vietnamese constabulary to occupy all recaptured territory,” as well as a civilian corps of local Government planners, agricultural experts, teachers and construction teams.