China, probably would not resist, it was believed here.
About 45,000 Frenchmen, of which 25,000 were white and the remainder. were mostly Annamites, were said to be under arms in Indo-China. Another 50,000, it "was estimated, could be mobilized.
"Earlier, Vichy had consented to the stationing of 6,000 Japanese troops in northern Indo-China but the actual number was known to exceed 9,000.
The consensus of opinion among diplomats in London was that Japan would invade Indo-China before attempting to attack Siberia, where non-Soviet sources said the Russians have 60 divisions, including mechani: ed units and a powerful air force.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.