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In this absurd and perilous situation, the French decided that the moment was propitious to declare Viet Nam completely independent, and handed over their last control of the Vietnamese police and courts. The Communists were more industrious. In the neighboring kingdom of Laos, they assassinated Defense Minister Kou Voravong with a shot in the back, hurled hand grenades into the house of the Foreign Minister. Unless the Diem-Hinh fight was quickly settled, the Viet Minh would not have to bother with hand grenades in Viet Nam.
Freedom, with all its troubles, still exerts its magnetism. In the eight weeks since partition, some 250,000 Vietnamese have already chosen to leave their homes in the Communist north for free Viet Nam—a far higher number than anyone expected. Of these, the U.S. Navy has transported 110,000. Harold Stassen's FOA is helping construct 125 emergency villages to house the new settlers.