European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 18, 1968, Darmstadt, Hesse                              Continued from Page 11 military expert As about As Good a individual weapon As  about a year ago the communist began using 140mm and 122mrn rockets against . Bases in South Vietnam. The 122mm has a Range of 12,000  Are not High accuracy weapons but when fired into a place such Asda Nang air base or Tan son Nhut Airfield outside Saigon they Are bound to hit something. The North vietnamese and the Vietcong have All the Standard mortars and have used them with High effect. Is bombing of the North really wort hit probably the most candid official appraisal of the bombing was Mcnamara s 200-pase testimony to Congress before he left office. He made these Points about 70 per cent of North Vietnam s electrical generating capacity has been knocked out and the bulk of its fixed Petroleum storage has been destroyed. But imported diesel generators Are prob ably producing sufficient Power for essential needs and widely dispersed Petroleum reserves Are meeting minimum needs. Mcnamara said most if not All of the Industrial output lost has been re placed by imports from the soviet Union and  he noted that military and economic Aid from communist coun tries is increasing. He also added the agrarian nature of the Economy precludes an economic collapse of North Vietnam As a result of the  air Force Secretary Harold brow has said no informed student of air Power has expected the bombing to eliminate infiltration and resupply. But the bombing by increasing the Strain on an a it North Vietnam has affected its capability to sustain increased  Secretary e s t i m a t de that the bombing raids had tied up 600,000 men including a considerable part of the North s leadership. Is Westmoreland in trouble i have heard no one in High positions at the Pentagon try to claim that he or anyone else could do Westmoreland s Job better within the rules under which this was has been fought. Eugene v. Risher up Burea manager in Sai on Mukalel tvs War like any War has the usual gripes. The Chow is Lousy. The doctors Are Scalpel Happy. But the morale of the american troops is High. It is t other in fighting units than in rear j�aviiagj2�2l at Khe Sanert would consider for a moment giving it up. Although in the minds of some High Levei officers in Saigon Khe Sanh s value is questionable. Initiative when the communist launched their series of attacks through out South Vietnam Jan. 29, it amounted to a general offensive. Documents and prisoner interrogations indicate the hoped for a general uprising. There is Little doubt that those who earned out the attacks and lower level communist officials thought there would be massive defections to their cause. But there were  experts believe the attacks were part of a longer Range plan with a less lofty goal. They see the offensive As Neffo it to achieve a significant military Victory Over the americans and Viet namese As a prelude to negotiations a drive to negotiate from a position Osnower they foresee a continuation of the attacks throughout the country on a Les intensified scale and then a Mas Sive push probably along the demilitarized zone where the largest communist troop concentration is located. Bombing two key targets still Are off limits to american raiders. They Argeru Lam Airfield Hanoi s International Airport where much of its m1g Fleet i kept and the port of Haiphong. The latter is by far the most important. Esti mates six months ago were that More than half of All North Vietnam s War supplies come through Haiphong. Credibility Gap there is in Viet Nam a Large organization of person whose sole purpose is to shape the Story of the War. The reports they Issue Are in the judgment of most newsmen Overly optimistic. Robert c. Miller up Corre Sprind ent who spent time at Pearl Harbor before departing for his fifth reporting Lour in South Vietnam senior officers at army Navy Marine and air Force Headquarters in Hawaii concede that the communists no would command More respect and bar gaining Power at the conference table than at any time in the Vietnam War. This is definitely not the time to no of Tiati " one senior officer emphasized. The communists definitely won a tre a Vivious propaganda ," he said "1 suppose we Are emitted to talk and will probably be forced to sit Down with the reds at a time when they will be bargaining from strength and More demanding than there is general agreement among the top brass in Hawaii that the Climax of the War is  there will be no unhappy mass at Pacific Headquarters if the communist continue to turn Down american appeals to come to the negotiating  now on things Are going to get in Essie a tougher for them a senior army authority said. If we can lust Ham Touth ourselves for a few Morew eks All those dead and wounded Ai irn Caris will not have been futile Cas  this is another of the fronts upon v. The War is being fought there Iii i conces of opinion Between the Mili tar men who fight it and the diplomats Wuo eventually must end it.  � n % i Ajit. 7hiw\ Queaa �sz3ps3&tk&0 off off am a i Dixie Rio Khou Anar Tim "7 v7a- a Iwis-3- a f Mirr this i r Tir demilitarized zone Thailand oar be \ 7ra�-_ Ward