May 6, 1954
US-FRENCH ALLIANCE: London, 5 – A huge airlift has begun linking Larson Air Force Base in Washington with Marseilles and from there to Indochina, with a stopover in Ceylon, the latest contribution by the United States to the epic struggle being waged by the heroic defenders of Dien Bien Phu in the last dramatic hours of its defense, just 400 meters away from Ho Chi Minh’s Red Army. How feasible it is to save the fortress in this last-ditch effort remains to be seen. The fact remains that 24 huge Globebuster transport aircraft are taking part in a unique, historic operation to bring fully equipped French military units from Marseilles to the front line of fire in Indochina. During the flight, they will be avoiding the forbidden zones over India and Burma and will return via the Philippines and the Pacific Ocean. RECEPTION: Count and Countess Lerhenfeld held a party at the Hotel Grande Bretagne, attended by the Prime Minister and Mrs Alexandros Papagos (…). The Countess was wearing a lovely pleated muslin gown. PHAEDROS BARLAS: Lyrics from a song of the period: «If the Countess asks for me, tell her I have moved away.»
