Dienbienphu Confidential

From authoritative sources in Paris, Washington and the Far East this week came previously censored details of the battle of Dienbienphu. Among them: P:The French have privately downgraded their "official" estimate of Communist losses from 25,000 to between 10,000 and 12,000. Best estimate of French losses: 2,500, including 800 killed, 1,200 wounded (800 still in Dienbienphu with inadequate medical care), 500 captured or missing.

P:Morale is still high, but one battalion of Thai tribesmen has been kept in reserve since one of its companies panicked in the battle's opening phase. P:Dienbienphu's most critical problem during the first two Red offensives: ammunition shortage. Red Chinese-directed flak forced French transport aircraft to come in so high that a sizable portion of parachuted equipment drifted into" the Red lines and helped supply the enemy. Fifteen to 20 French planes have been lost. Last week good flying weather enabled the French to conquer their supply crisis.

P:The Communists are now able to move supplies toward Dienbienphu in trucks down main roads from Red China. French planes have not been able to stop them.

P:Diversionary Red attacks in the Red River Delta squeezed some French posts to the north of Hanoi and shook the morale of undertrained Vietnamese troops whom the French sent in to replace the elite battalions flown out to Dienbienphu. The French now claim that the delta danger is under control.

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