78 Towns on the Spot

By radio and by leaflets dropped from planes, the U.N. last week warned the inhabitants of 78 North Korean towns--which the enemy is using as troop, supply and communications centers--to get out of town and stay out. The U.N. had no desire to kill civilians, the messages explained, but the military targets in the towns had caused them to be selected for air attack. The warnings had been designed by Mark Clark's psychological warfare branch. It was certain that the Communist authorities would make every effort to keep people from trickling out of the target areas, and that the people would resent it. In World War II, similar warnings against the Japanese wrought havoc on Japanese morale.

Then Clark's airmen began to make good on the warnings by launching heavy raids on three of the 78 towns. This week 150 U.N. fighter-bombers destroyed a chemical plant and troop center at Nam-sok, on North Korea's east coast.

The enemy seemed plainly to be hurt. For the first time in months, he sent his MIG-15s across the Yalu in large numbers to challenge the U.N.'s strengthened and revitalized air forces. But the Red jets accomplished nothing. In six consecutive days of aerial fighting, U.S. Sabres shot down 19 MIGs, and Sea Furies from a British carrier destroyed a 20th. During this period, the U.N. lost eight planes (four to Communist ground fire, four from other causes, but none in air combat with the MIGs).

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