Hide Article Text (OCR)
Fob* *4THE STARS AND STRIPESThursday, April 21r VMcNamara Fears More Saigon TurmoilfConiinwd from Pa$o 1) of government other than democratic/*His discussion of the Vietnamese political situation was prompted by a complaint by Sen. Bourke B. Hickenlooper. R* Iowa* that government Instability In Viet Nam is confusing to Ami. iericans already concerned about the war there.It's very much in the minds of the people and lt‘a rather difficult for us Jo give an answer/* Hickenlooper said.McNamara replied that political Instability is to be expected in any newP underdeveloped na* tion.“I think we will face more in Viet Nam/* he said,McNamara said Communist forces In South Wet Nam are talcing their orders “not only day-to-day but hour-lo-hour1’ from Hanoi,The Vietnamese war* he said,stem* from flagrant Communist aggression and Intervention.He offered that description of the Asian struggle after Chairman J. W, Fulbright, D-Ark„ asked whether U.S. treaty commitments cover Intervention In a civil war,McNamara said If FuJbrigbt was Implying the Vietnamese struggle is a civil war *T strongly (Assent/1“That is one of the most flagrant cases uf outside intervention and outside aggression In the past decade,'1 he said.McNamara said that before U.S. combat troops were sent into South Viet Nam thousands of Communist North Vietnam ese had Infiltrated Jnlo the south.Today* McNamara said* 20,-009 or more North VietnameseBomb Shortage DeniedWASHINGTON, April 2ft (AP) Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara said baloney*’ Wednesday to reports that ashortage of bombs is curtailingairU.S. air operations in (he Vief-namese war,“ft is not true/’ McNamara told the Senate Foreign Relation* committee, “You can’t nave a bomb shortage when you ve got 61,000 tons Tn Inventory/*And that, McNamara said, is the stockpile of U.S. bombs now Oft hand In Southeast Alia.McNamara offered hit stalls-Ac-studded rebuttal when Sen, John J. Williams, B-Delrf quoted a newspaper report from Saigonwspa. ..________that said air raids are going tosnortbe reduced because of a supply or bombs.AH this baloney, and it's only that* about lack of bombproduction is completely 73*!leadlr—leading” McNamara said. Reply la FordIndirectly, his report was an other reply to the charge offtouw Republican Leader Ger aid R. Ford that bombs are short and the war is being mismanaged.Ford’s name was not mentioned.McNamara said the Air *wce. Marines and Navy have about 61,009 tons of bombs on hand in the war rone, compared with about 80,000 tons dropped during March.He said U.S. planes dropped an average of 48.000 tons of bombs a month In Africa and Europe during World War n,and an average of 17,500 tons a month in the Korean War.We have 638,000 tons of PJinbs planned to be dropped in 1IM, McNamara said.Hr ftnirl fhnf nniml01cent of the total dropped duringthe. 37-momh Korean conflict,usedand 40 pet cent of the tola!Ip the World War n European theater.McNamara acknowledgedthat Uie bomb Inventory was reduced when March air opera* Horn exceeded the planned level, and when political demonstrations created supply problems in areas.-- — — —■ -But, he said* over-all bombing operations In April will exceed the originally planned level.Bombing _ if Communist supplylines and communications be heavier than was the caseNATO Policy Upheldduring March* he said* but air missions in support of ground operations In South Viet Nam itself will be below those in March.The reason Is that military operations have been at a lower level because of the political disorders, McNamara said.Assembly EndorsesFrom Press DispatchesPARIS, April 20 — The Gaul led list-controlled French National Assembly Wednesday endorsedPresident Charles de Gaulle'seviction of American troops from France* and his withdrawal of French troops from NATO commands.The assembly’s decision, an-InvitesTo Make Peace BidWASHINGTON, April 18 (AP) The Johnson administration invited Burma* Japan, or other Aslan countries Tuesday to take what initiative they see fit tohelp arrange a Viet Nam peace conference.The bid for an Aslan move came as United Nations Ambassador Arthur J, Goldberg emerged from a White House meeting with President Johnson and said; “The President is in agreement that a meetingjught to be^held. He hopes Sen. Ikr “Mike Mansfield’s statement wilj further that cause/*In a statement read In the Senate Monday, the DemocraticIthere is something to be said for a direct confrontation across a peace table between ourselves and Hanoi* Peking and such elements In South Viet Nam a* may be essential to the makingand keeping of a peaceful set tlemoat In that region.1irMansfield suggested that there could be no better place for a peace table than tn Burma or Japan or some other appropriate Aslan setting.Officials said that in response lo any diplomatic queries fromTokyo or Rangoon, the United lcStates will welcome any initiative to arrange such a meeting. State Department press offt-Ucipated by the government's opponents* came in the rejection of a motion of censure against Premier tieorges Pompidou on the NATO policy issue.Under present law, such a motion requires an absolute majority of the assembly membership to become effective. The vote was 137 in favor of the motion* far abort of the 242 votes needed to oust the Pompidou cabinet. Reds Abstain The Communists and the right-wing Independent Republicans jolnel with the Gaullist deputies in refusing to vote for the motion. The Communists thus in effect were voting for Pompidou although they oppose De Gaulle and his government on most Issues. A Communist spokesmanexplained Tuesday that the par!Gb “ty approves De Gaulle's attitude toward NATO.In a final statement to the assembly before the vote, Pompidou stressed that with American headquarters on its soil France ran the risk of becoming an atomic target in case of conflict between the United State* andfighting men are in SouthNum.McNamara testified television cameras and a ity crowd in suppcrt of the ministration’s 927 million tary assistance program* bill does not include military for South Viet Nam. That I* of the defense budget.McNamara told the tee the nation’s strength la so great It bat possible to commit 623,ON to the Viet Nam war W1 calling up reservists ortirg the economy.added:No other nation In has ever been so strong. Never has any other— never has the United— carried such great n-T-„ strength with so little burdte its society. , *When McNamara ' his statement questioninga turned from the Milt e Southeast Asian si It was McNamara's firstLie appearance before the e\gn Relations Committeethe United States escalated military operation in Viet Standing Rom There was a standi only audience on hand for action* and Fulbrigbi ^ them a taste of ft quickly; v**-Be pointed to McN statement that no other _ in history has ever been strong/’Then the Chairman asked wasn't a fart that when a: Uon becomes very becomes very arrogantrighteous.”*I hope we are ait exceMr. chairman, replied.The defense secretary that, in fact, the United ; had been accused In aonve « ters of shewing loo much atralnt. ;He said he was proud of restraint that President Job was showing in conducting war.Fulbright, referring to V mare’s comment on n said* Such as It Is I sa; too.But* hammering at his ment that power breeds righteousness as well as gance* Fullbrtght said*CDlintrV ha* h*1Uvlt;w?
Newspaper Details
European Stars and Stripes
Darmstadt, Hesse, DE
Thu, Apr 21, 1966
Page 24
Full Page
Clipped by
Rick G.
USA 17 Mar 2023
Other Publications Near Darmstadt, Hesse
Allgemeine Kirchen Zeitung
European Stars and Stripes
