The Bangkok exercises an appraisal

Media

Part of Philippine Armed Forces Journal

Title: The Bangkok exercises an appraisal
Language: English
Source: Philippine Armed Forces Journal Volume IX (No. 4) February 1956
Year: 1956
Rights
Fulltext: l' llii.II'I' IN•:S ARMED fORCES JOURNAL \ , The BANGKOK EXERCISES: An Appraisal IJ!I .\fajor ./o.o.:,· RP!f1t.11. .Tr .. I n(. U Pw~~ t~~snt~i~e, :::;e ;~: ~l:i~~ SEATO exercises held recently in Bangkok were a veritable farce. There are those who claim that the exercises were a one-nation show, that o! the United States. Others claim that if it served anything at 11ll, it underscored the disunity, the unwillingnes.<~ to cooperate, and the utter unprevaredncss to emhark on a truly potent collecti\•e defNlSe cnIIPa,·or of the countries comprising th<' SoutheiiSt .. ~sia Collective Defense T!'l'lllY <'l>lnbmed. Critic~ ot' thtSEATO wt"Te quick to point out what they tPrmed the "futility" of it all. I saw the exercises from beginning to end. I had occasion to personally sound out highly placed officials, including a good numlx-r who had quite a lot to do with the exer· cises. It was my good fortune to have been able to talk of them with the official representative of the Russian government-controlled TASS, was to my mind an official observer of Moscow. The views expressed by those l came in cont act with, either officially or otherwise, and the ideas I developed on my own as one of almost half-a-million observers and participants, I shall consider in writing the analysis I am about to make. In making this appraisal, howe\"er, J do so as a private cit izen, and as such, it will not have anything to do with my present position as public information officer of the Department of National Defense. The views I express in this article are strictly m y own and do not represent in any way those of either the Philippines A rmed Force~ 'Journal or of the defense department . 1 will attempt to discuss my subject matter by initially point ing out what the exercises accomplished or military obsen·ers from the various .:.oulcl ha\"" Mcompli~hed in the pollcountries represented there, includ- tical field, and then treat on t he ing one who told me he was ''just exe1·cises from the tactical point of likE• any other correspondent," but view. who, ha\'ing been duly accredited a~ To use the words of the Thai Govt • ••rnment's Director General of Public tries of the mean~ with which to • Information, Lieutenant General :'II helv combat any a~grcssot· • L. Kharb Kunjara, tht> Bangkok exer- Tht>rc seems to he no rlouht anydses ';were no maneuver~. hut sim- where that the signatories to the ply demonstrations''. They wcr(' to SEACDT are co-equ!llly ;tnd sinceretest, he said, how fact the forct>s of ly willing and eag••r tv particiv;tte the SEATO mt>mbct·-nations can in collecth·c defense acti,·ities. Thig rome to the airl of Thailand in the is notwithstanding the contention of !'vent that riJuntry was attal'kl'd. a fl'w that in the non-partil'ipation More than anything else, th{' de- of France and Pakistan in the Bangmonstrations proved in no uncertain kok demonstrations the world can see terms that the countrie~ of South- a certain degree of reluctance at coleast Asia arc one in the belief that lective enterprise by some SEATO in collective endeavor lies the countries. Certain members of the strength of their defense. In like press, apparently without knowledg<' manner, they are unanimous in the of the true circumstances, expresseri belief that in regional disunity regts ,·ery much concern over this inability their doom in the hands of a det<"r- of two of the SEATO nations to parmined aggressor. There can be peace ticipate. At a press conference atin this part of the world only in di- tended by somt> two hundred and fifrect proportion to the willingness and ty press and radio representatives at the eagerness of the countries of D-1. Thai's General Kharb said that Southeast Asia to participate in col- the two countries had turned down !ecth·e defense activities, and to the with utmost regret the Thai Gonmpos~ession by the participating coun- ment's invitation to the exercises, hut PHILIPPINES ARMED FORCES JOURNAL that they would send in obse, •.;!rs. pect of the collective defense picture, Both governments had advanced as namely the possession by each counthe reason for their non-participa- try of the means with which to cartion the short 1 '1otice given them ry out its commitments to the overwhich, according to them, made ac- all group. The line so vulgarly extual participation not quite possible. ploited by critics of the SEATO that Visibly concerned. a foreign cor- the Bangkok demonstrations were a respondent at the press conference one-nation show, that of the United asked Kharb, "How much time did States, is to my mind most irresyou give the United States?" "One ponsible. It cannot be denied that week", was the reply. the show was pre-dominantly AmerThe question and answer after ican, but that was because, as to that ran somewhat like this: "How means, the United States had easily about the Philippines!" "Also one the best, and other countries partiweek", Kharb disclosed.· "I' imagine cipated merely to a degree within everybody else was given one week, their respective means. This d!1· am I right?" "Yes". "Well, how ference in capabilities ,among tht> much time did they think the enemy SEATO nations were noticeable in \,.t,uld give us, anrway, in case he the demonstrations. They will be as decided to attack!" The audience glaringly obvious in the event of an simply laughed. emergency. These differences in in1 had ocr.asion to speak in private dividual capabilities, rather than the to the same correspondent a few extent of the threat to each counminutes later, and to my surprise, try's security, must be the principal he shared with me the opinion, as factor to consider in determining the certainly all of us did, that the in- nature and the amount of contribuability of Pakistan and France to tion of each nation to any SEATO render some form of participation force that might be put up. short of just sending observers could Should the SEATO decide on putnot have been an indication of any ting up a force to be in constant unwillingness on their part to parti- readiness, it will become necessary cipate. He expressed the view, how- to weigh the capabilities of the vaever, to which I agreed, that of any rious countries involved, and expect defense effort of this nature to pros- of each country only as big a force per, eaeh member country must be or as much a contribution a!r wit! compelled, by the rules of the or- not paralyze that country's economy gani:r.ation, to maintain in readiness, through burdensome upkeep even beeither at its own expense or with fore a shooting war comes. SEATO funds and materials, speci- Immediately alter the press confie forces capable of being mobilized terence in Bangkok the day before at a moment's notice. I knew then the demonstrations were to start, our that he had in mind what makes tick group of Filipino press and radio to SEA TO's Atlantic counterpart, the representatives "cornered" General North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Kharb for an "exelusive interview". This brings me to the second as- Most of the Questions asked were in:tended to clarify the nature, the The goodwill and new friendships scope and the purpose of the exer- engendered by the exercises were ·cises. Easily one of the most signi- tremendous. Rear Admiral Lester fiunt of those questions was: "Gen- K. Rice, Over-all Com1a1ander of Joint era\, does the Thai Government ex- Task Force No. 19, shortly after his pect Fitipino troops to fight in Thai- arrival in Bangkok, declared that in land in the event your country is participating in the demonstrations, invaded by an aggressor?" "Yes", the countries were each reaping a Kharb declared emphatically. bountiful harvest in reenvigorated Kharb's attitude was typical of the friendships and goodwill. In the govattitude of most every official or ob- ernment and people of Thailand, for sen·er we spoke to during the exer- il"'~tance, we Filipinos who were there eises. It seemed to be the one im- fo.und a truly congenial and friendly portant assumption predicating the ally. The same could be said of the SEATO effort that an attack by one United States and every other sigmember nation is in effect an at- natory of the SEACDT. tack on every .other member. Those That our own Philippine battalion in the know have argued that only earned for this country a wealth of with such a doctrine can the coltec- goodwill can be gleaned in a mestive defense effort be assured of sage received by A FP Chief of Staff success. If or once this is so, then Lieutenant General Jesus Vargas the legislative action by each mem- sometime after the demonstrations ber nation necessary for the commit- from Admiral Felix B. Stump, United ment of troops for overseas duty, in- States Pacific Fleet Commander. The eluding combat, must be obtained message was as follows: "From what ·well in advance, rather than allow I have heard, I canot not tell you the relatively slow democratic pro- too strongly how well impressed the cesses to slacken the otherwise observers were with the exemplary speedy and effective delivery and showing of your troops. All the employment of aid to help an em- Americans who participated in Opebattled member-country. rations FIRM LINK were proud to As a medium for practice and dis- be associated with your competent play of teamwork among the various and well-trained men. Their perforcountries, the demonstrations could rnance and friendliness were splenhave served the purpose better were did examples for all." they in the nature of maneuvers, of Admiral Stump went on further war games of some sort. There was and quoted Captain Paul D. Foley, very little occasion to test team- skipper of the USS SalisbuTy Sound, work, as the armed forces of the the U.S. Navy seaplane tender different countries, except in a few which ferried the troops from Mania.umbers of the demonstrations, de- Ia to Bangkok. Foley's message, as monstrated different activities at dif- follows, was all praise for the Filiferent times. Rarely were the armed pino troops: forces of more than one nation in- "The conduct of the Philippine volved in a specific demonstration. troops was exemplary white em1'11\ LII'PINF-I:l Ah MED F O H C ~;S J OU I! ~A I, \ • - ,--,. ....... f'tom the rochc<>l ""'"' of "'e"' •.~e demon<!rohon< ·••ved the SfATO lte,.~ndou•ly Mowv& Un•led Slate• "'" force ( 124 Globem<><ler> demon•ltated that •n •••enreen ~""" octvol 1/yong lome. US "'""f ""borne ltOOf" ond heavy equopmetU con be ••onr ported /rom Jopon to 8ongkol cottr•nq :100 t•oop• on lull botlie g•o• Uari..ed. The troops l'ovperatP•l throughout the p<! riod of 'Opl'ration,; Firm Link', assisting tlw ship'::; company in daily tasks in every way possible. They exhibited r~al interest. cheerfulness ;\ml enthusia~m for the job at hand. Their friendliuess and good natu t'e made manr new friendships hetwPen indi,idu ... L, On \\"ashington's birthday, thl' ~hi11's Ct>mpany ;>nrl the embarked l'h1lippine troop~ joined h;md!' m l)fh'rati,>n H;uulclasJI' in prmlucing ·u ul ~tag-inj:: t'.\<'t'H<'nt wel!-hal;mced vati••ty show on the hanga,- dr•ck. Tlw cordial rehtlit•n th<lt t•xi!'tt>d hetween the ship's cumpany and th._. Filipino t1·oop~ not only ga,·e further proof <1nd meanin~ to the tradition .,f frienrlshlp bHween Amet·icans anrl l-~ili11inos but also demonstrate<! that the <lllirit of coOilertion ii:' strong am,mg ::>EATO JlCOilles." The Bangkok demonstrations sen ed ,_a u.-:t·ful training nwdium lor tht· annl'l\ forces of the various countl'it.'s of Southeast Asia and,were t}j'? lllanning <1nd the choices of which to demonstrate more thorough, could ha,·e served likewise to emphasize 10 the fullest extent than it rlid, th!' de• fense value of the SEATO. No less two weapons cat'l'iers, one M-24 tank ,than Thailand's strong man, PrimP and one 1 1/2-ton truck with trailer, Minister P. Pibul Songgram, in his or their equh·alent. Th<' t.;.S. Air public statement formally opcuing Force C-119 "flying •boxcars" wrrc the show last February 15, recog- f'qually handy in transporting from nized the importance of the denton ~- lap.tll ami au·-Jit'OJIJiin~ un nun )lu trations in stressing the <'aluc of -<!It: .\iq•un m Ban~kuk troups ,uod SEATO as a defense organization. '1 1<d 111ilitary ,•quipnwnt .. This particular aspect of thl'\ put·pose The United States' "Honest John'' of the exercises could ha\'C been ex- i62mm Rocket and Launcher. one of ploited more. the most recent a.ddit.ions to l.i.::i. Among the O\'er two hundred pre~s weapons, attracted no little attenand radio representatives and the tion. The weapon, it is said, <'an be equally numerous military obscn·er~ used tactically to provide close fire was a 'large group of new~men and support in ground combat operaobservers from Japan. A Japanese tions. Not a guided missile, the correspondent representing one of the 762mm rocket is a grou~d-to-ground three biggest newspapers in Japan free flight rocket. It is also said to admitted to me that he sees great have considerably more battlefield potentialities in the SEATO as an mobility than conventional artillery, organization Cor regional defense. He with a range equi\'alent to that of disclosed that a sizeable fraction of medium-to-long range artillery. the Japanese people and of the press, The value of the Marine helicophis own paper included, would go for ter, the MRS-3 Sikorsky, in airlift• .Japan joining the SEA COT alliance ing not only troops but also supplies ''if g iven the chance." We did talk, and equipment was eloquently de• on my prodding, of Japan's wartime monstrated. The "Choppers" car"Greater East Asia Co-prosperit}' ried ashore on D-Day morning the Sphere," and he agreed it.6 difference First Battalion, 9th Marine Regifr<~m the runcnt collective •·nd~avm· ment, as well as all the food and lay in their scope and manner in equipment used by the 1300 marines. which Japan's \'ersion was being The troops were shuttled from the sought in the early 1940's. USS Princeton in the Gulf of Thai· From the tactical point of \'lew, land to Don Muang Airport, 80 miles th~ demonstrations served the SEATO inland. cause tremendously. l\lassh·e United Whatever critics of the SEATO States Air Force C-124 Globemasters say, th~ Bangkok demonsnation~ demonstrated that in seventeen hour!;' pro1·cd that th<' SEATO is no "paactua\ flying time, U.S. Army air- Jwt· ti~et·." In it, as int('nded horne troops and heavy equipment all along since the signing of the loan be t ransported !rom Japan to Manila Pact some two years ago. Bangkok. All were impressed by the lies the hopes for peace and securit}' giant double-decked transport planes, of the free peoples of Asia. Bangkok ~ach carr}'ing 200 troops in full bat- laid the groundwork for more fruittie gear, or equipment consisting of ful collective endeavors to come.