851G.00/6–547: Telegram
The Vice Consul at Hanoi (O’Sullivan) to the Secretary of State
184. Destruction in Tonkin is literally appalling. Damage is due very largely to Vietnam Government policy of “scorched earth” although French bombing and shelling have contributed. Of small cities I have seen personally, Haiduong is about 60 to 70 percent destroyed, Hoabinh 100 percent razed, Hadong has perhaps a dozen buildings of several hundred standing. French aerial observers state that Tuyenquang and Thainguyen have been destroyed by Vietnamese (French troops have not attacked these points). Correspondents state that Septpagodes and Quangyen are also wiped out. No estimate available of number of villages destroyed.
Destruction of course will be increased and famine made inevitable if dikes of Red River break or are cut by Vietnamese during flood waters which usually occur in August. Earthen dike system requires [Page 102] year round maintenance and military-like mobilization of population during flood waters to build reinforcements at threatened points and maintenance of dikes, of course, has not been done to any great extent during past 6 months of hostilities and mobilization of population seems impossible if hostilities continue. Even if dikes not cut, they will probably break if Red River floods surpasses 11 meter mark.