Heating Up

For the first time since the "vest-pocket war" began off China's coast, the Reds last week used airplanes against Chiang Kai-shek's island bastions. Nine Russian-built, twin-engined bombers appeared over the Nationalist-held Tachens (200 miles north of Formosa and 15 miles from the Chekiang coast) and dropped more than 40 bombs, killing five persons. Previously, during the September skirmish around Quemoy, the Reds had used artillery only, and Washington concluded that the Communists were exercising prudence to make sure that air power did not tangle with the U.S. Seventh Fleet. Apparently, the Communists are now prepared to take greater risks.

The increased Communist effort comes at a time when the U.S. is negotiating a defense pact with the Nationalists. The U.S. may spread its defense umbrella to cover more than Formosa and the Pescadores (though perhaps not every Nationalist-held island) if the Gimo in turn agrees to limit his mainland attacks to operations with a defensive purpose.

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