Concentrate! Reinforce!

INDOCHINA

General Paul Ely, French chief of staff, flew to Hanoi last week to determine whether he could save the rice-rich Red River Delta. He came upon a darkening battleground. Red General Giap's advance guards were streaming through Mocchau (see map), less than 80 miles from Hanoi; Giap's 90,000 irregulars inside the delta were taking Vietnamese company outposts at the tumble-down rate of five or six a week; and a special Red task force, some ten battalions strong, was pressing a tight, coordinated attack against the three French positions around Phuly, the logical start-off point for an offensive to cut4the Hanoi-Haiphong road.

There was yet no certainty that Giap would move his 40,000-man regular striking force against the delta before or during the summer rains: he had taken bitter losses at Dienbienphu and might need more time to recover. But the French generals knew Giap and feared that he would exploit the stalemate at Geneva by grabbing fast, even with weakened forces, for all of Indo-China.

In Hanoi for two days, Ely inspected the wary defenses and conferred with IndoChina's Commanding General Henri Navarre and the northern-front commander, General Rene Cogny. During these days the generals outlined a new command strategy: 1) Concentrate! Cogny must pull back from isolated forts, must rally for modern battle at selected centers in the plains; 2) Reinforce! Cogny must have at least two fresh divisions, about 30,000 men, to prop up the delta's teetering 70,000-man garrison. Ely was also reportedly ready to recommend Navarre's recall. Said one French officer when the conference ended: "The answer now lies with the statesmen, if we have any statesmen left."

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