The French Indochina War 1946-54.

The states of Indochina - north Vic-mam (Вас Bo. orTonkin). central Vietnam (Trung Bo, or Aniiam). south Vietnam (Nam Bo. or Cochinchina). Cambodia and Laos - had been French colonies or protectorates since the IDih ceniuiy. In the 1930s Communist-led risings in Tonkin and Annam had been bloodily suppressed, many insurgent leaders lleeing into China; in HMO they returned to uortlwasi Tonkin, and began to build up their armed strength from almost nothing. Thcv made a late and insignificant show of resistance to the Japanese, which nevertheless established their credentials with the American OSS and earned them some US arms and training.Under the Vichy regime the French garrison had to tolerate the installation of Japanese bases. In March 1945 the Japanese interned all French troops and officials, butchering those who resisted: the survivors loughl their uav out into Nationalist China, and the Japanese turned over civil government to local elements, including the figurehead emperor of Annam, Bao Dai.