U. S. TO STEP UP BOMBING IN LAOS; Laos Route to Be Pounded To Cut Enemy Arms Flow U.S. to Step Up Bombing of Ho Chi Minh Trail in Laos to Cut Enemy's Flow of Supplies
US intends to triple level of bombing along Ho Chi Minh Trail in Laos in effort to compensate for effects of bombing cessation; this is understood to be principal reason behind willingness of top Amer mil comdrs to endorse Johnson decision to cease all raids against N Vietnam; other factors said to have influenced views of Amer mil comdrs discussed; these include; granting of authority by Johnson to Abrams to bomb N Vietnamese forces and facilities within buffer zone, and even north of it, if Abrams feels enemy activities in area threaten allied forces' decision to maintain active reconnaissance over ail N Vietnam despite Hanoi's strong pub opposition to flights; evidence of substantial disengagement and movement of enemy forces out of S Vietnam; details on US mil plans; US mil and civilian planners, in retrospect, cannot agree on value of US bombing policy; map
