In for the Duration

Cambodia last week was the main battleground of Southeast Asia--lamentably so, since its chief role in the war is as an unwilling sanctuary and supply base for the North Vietnamese. Once again trying to disrupt that sanctuary, 25,000 South Vietnamese troops last week were engaged in a much-ballyhooed sweep through the rubber plantations of eastern Cambodia against moderate resistance and with inconclusive results. In another theater, the Cambodians were reeling from a major defeat at the hands of the North Vietnamese two weeks ago. And for the first time since the war began, Cambodia's capital, Phnom-Penh, came under a brief rocket attack.

Evident Failure. The Cambodian defeat came as a shattering blow to the country's fledgling army, which has been built up perhaps too swiftly since the invasion by South Vietnamese and U.S. troops in May-1970. In an operation dubbed Chenla 11 (named after a Khmer kingdom that existed from the sixth to the eighth century), 20,000 Cambodian troops set out last August to lift ; 15-month siege of Kompong Thorn, 78 miles north of the capital on Route 6. By October, the main force had reached that objective, but in the meantime had left troops strung out in perilously thin numbers along the road. The North Vietnamese counterattacked at the town of Rumlong, 30 miles south of Kompong Thorn on Route 6, an important crossroads for the eastward flow of supplies on which the Communist forces in eastern Cambodia depend.

The Cambodians finally retreated after 19 days of fierce fighting, only to be hit again at the nearby towns of Kompong Thmar and Baray. Some fled south to the starting point of Chenla 11. Others dug in at Kompong Thorn, which was by now choked with refugees. Premier Lon Nol, who had ordered the operation and staked his personal prestige on its success, called it off. The failure was evident: each side controlled almost exactly the same area as it held in August.

Following up their tactical and psychological advantage, the Communists quickly moved troops from southern Cambodia to within rocket range of

Phnom-Penh and last week sent three Russian-made rockets into the city's outskirts.

Dissatisfaction. Were the Communists about to invade Phnom-Penh? Not likely. Their aim, rather, seemed to be to force the Cambodians to move troops back to defend the capital and give up their road-clearing operations, leaving the countryside clear for the collection and movement of supplies. In Kompong Chhnang province northwest of Phnom-Penh, the Communist forces buy rice and fish from farmers at below-market prices, and transport the supplies to combat units by several routes. As long as such routes are open, the Communists are expected to content themselves with harassing government positions and attempting to organize a Cambodian guerrilla force in rural areas. But as one diplomat in Phnom-Penh put it last week, "When the Cambodians interfere with the flow of supplies, they get hit."

Thus, despite the fighting on the outskirts, there was no sign of panic in Phnom-Penh last week. Dissatisfaction with the Lon Nol regime was on the rise, but the Cambodians could count a few blessings: all major population centers and most roads were still under government control. Still, the inescapable lesson of Chenla 11 was that the Cambodians have little hope of driving the North Vietnamese out of their country as long as Hanoi needs it. Like it or not, the Cambodians are in the war for the duration.

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