French Decolonisation in Indochina

Southeast Asia

Indochina: In its broadest sense, Indochina includes most of Southeast Asia; In its strictest sense, it is a political distinction created by France to include its colonial possessions of Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia (also known as French Indochina).

Background Vietnam had a strong sense of national identity going back hundreds of years. Also, a long antipathy with China. The Vietnamese had a somewhat xenophobic attitude towards foreigners.

A timeline of events Early 19th century – French interest in Indochina develops in response to missionaries, merchant interests and rivalry with Britain 1885 France wins the Sino-French War, and completes French control over Vietnam and other Indochina domains. Fighting and resistance continued for several years after 1885

Assimilation French begin ’assimilation’ of Indochina Economic By 1940, only about 34,000 French civilians lived in French Indochina, as it was seen as a colonie d'exploitation économique (economic colony)

Assimilation Political The French formally left the local rulers in power, such as the emperors of Vietnam, but they were in reality simply puppets. A small, mainly Catholic minority benefitted from French rule.

Assimilation Social/cultural – Mission civilisatrice: ’nos ancêtres les Gaulois’ The literacy rate of ethnic Vietnamese actually dropped under French rule

WW1 50,000 Vietnamese troops and 50,000 Vietnamese workers were sent to Europe. The Vietnamese also endured additional heavy taxes to help pay for France's war efforts. Numerous anticolonial revolts occurred in Vietnam during the war, all easily suppressed by the French.

Ho Chi Minh 1919 Nguyen Ai Quoc (Ho Chi Minh) attempted to meet with President Woodrow Wilson at the Versailles Peace Conference to present a program for Vietnamese rights and sovereignty, but was turned away. 1920 Ho Chi Minh participated in founding of the French Communist Party at Tours, France.

“It was patriotism, not Communism, that inspired me.” Ho Chi Minh

Impact of the Great Depression French investors withdrew their money from Vietnam. Salaries dropped 30 to 50 percent. Between 1928 and 1932, the price of rice on the world market decreased by more than half. The peasants bore most of the burden.

1930 revolt Foreign Legion troops sent in to suppress revolt. By early 1931, all of the rebels had been forced to surrender. Of the more than 1,000 arrested, 400 were given long prison sentences, and 80, including some of the party leaders, were executed. The remainder of the 1930’s was a period of recovery and growth for the anti-colonial forces.

WW2 1940 France falls 1941 Japanese troops occupied Vietnam. The Vichy French colonial government was allowed by the Japanese to continue to administer Vietnam

WW2 1941 Ho Chi Minh organized a nationalist organization known as the League for the Independence of Vietnam (Viet Minh). 1941-1945 The Viet Minh resisted Japanese occupation with the help of the United States and China. Nguyen Giap and Ho Chi Minh(1942).

WW2 9 Mar 45 The Japanese overthrew the Vichy French Government and proclaimed an "independent" Vietnam, with Emperor Bao Dai as nominal ruler. French requests for the return of their colonies was agreed upon at Potsdam.

1945 Vietnam 2 Sep 45 The Communist dominated Viet Minh seized power. Ho Chi Minh issued his Declaration of Independence, drawing heavily upon the American Declaration of Independence. 2 Sep 45 Emperor Bao Dai abdicates

US involvement As part of their growing fears of Communist expansion in E.Europe, Truman made the decision to support France. Implicitly the US were now supporting an imperialist power and were ignoring self-determination. Realpolitik vs Wilsonian ideals

The war begins… Sep 45 The defeated Japanese forces were re-armed by the British to assist and restore order. French troops returned to Vietnam and clash with Communist and Nationalist forces and seized power in the south, with British help. The Viet Minh responded by calling a national strike and organized a guerrilla campaign against the French.

The war begins… 24 Sep 45 General Jacque Philippe Leclerc arrived in Siagon and declared, " We have come to claim our inheritance". The first Indo-China War of 1946 - 1954, had begun.

The war 1946-1954 8 Mar 49 France recognized an "independent" state of Vietnam. Bao Dai became its leader. Its government had limited powers, largely being a puppet of France. Jan 50 China began sending military advisors and modern hardware to the Viet Minh.

U.S. involvement 8 May 1950 US announced military and economic aid to the pro- French regimes of Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. US aid was to jump from an initial $10 million to exceeding $1,000 million by 1954, 78% of the French war bill.

Dien Bien Phu - 1954

The seige of Dien Bien Phu 30 Mar -8 May 54

The seige of Dien Bien Phu 10,000 French soldiers surrendered, depriving France of any bargaining power at Geneva. An estimated 8,000 Viet Minh and 1,500 French died.

Timeline to War: Geneva Accords: A Communist government under Ho Chi Minh would control north. A national government under Emperor Bao Dai and Prime Minister Ngo Dinh Diem would control south. Capitals established in Hanoi and Saigon. Elections would be held in 1956 with the aim of unification.

Why did the French lose the war? Economic weaknesses from WW2 Lack of popular support Military failures against the guerrilla tactics of the Viet Minh. Arrogance and racism.