At the end of World War II, why did Ho Chi Minh say that I would rather be a French colony than be

Mondo Military Updated on 2024-02-28

In 1945, World War II was coming to an end, and many countries that had been invaded by colonization also saw the dawn of national independence. Under Ho Chi Minh's leadership, Vietnam launched the August Revolution, which overthrew the feudal dynasty and established a Vietnamese-style democratic republic.

However, Vietnam's road to independence has not been smooth, and there are many vicious wolves lurking behind it.

As a defeated country in Japan, Vietnam should have been peacefully liberated, but in the subsequent international conferences, Vietnam's fate was like pork on a chopping block, ruthlessly exploited and squeezed.

In the past years, Vietnam faced great challenges with the troops of the Kuomintang and the British stationed on its territory. Faced with the future development, countless Vietnamese people are thinking deeply.

However, unexpectedly, Ho Chi Minh chose to go to France, expressing his willingness to become a French colony.

This move has confused many people because Ho Chi Minh has a deep friendship with China, and the Vietnamese people also respect and like China very much, and they have experienced many difficulties and challenges together.

So why did Ho Chi Minh choose to become a French colony instead of being occupied by China?

On reflection, Ho Chi Minh did not really want to become a French colony. With his ingenious strategy, he made long-term preparations for Vietnam's independence. During World War II, Japan was on the verge of defeat against China and was looking for new interests.

They staged the March 9 coup d'état, wanting to drive out the French colonial** and take control of Vietnam's politics and economy.

Although French colonial rule in Vietnam was deeply rooted, for Japan at the time, taking control of Vietnam was undoubtedly an impulse beyond its own capabilities, and it was difficult to achieve.

This gave the Vietnamese people precious time to resist colonial rule, and the national liberation movement continued to heat up. With the fall of Japan, Vietnam finally had a chance to achieve independence.

However, at this time, Vietnam was facing a grim situation, with two forces intertwined within the territory and coveted by other countries abroad. Ho Chi Minh was well aware that neither force was to be underestimated, and that joining forces with either could pose a threat to Vietnam's independence.

He desperately needed to find a strong state to back him up in order to resist the "eyeing" of other countries, to find a suitable safe haven for himself, and at the same time to get rid of the Kuomintang control over him.

Therefore, he sent an "olive branch" to France, which, despite the losses it suffered in World War II and was much less powerful than before, still had a certain strength. At this time, France was eager to expand its interests in Southeast Asia and was full of expectations for taking over Vietnam.

Therefore, France began negotiations with China, expressing its willingness to return Canton Bay and French privileges in China as a condition for the withdrawal of Kuomintang troops.

On February 28, 1946, after China and France signed a series of treaties, the squadron announced the withdrawal of troops from Vietnam, and Vietnam also signed the 36 Entente with France, officially becoming a member of the French Federation.

For Ho Chi Minh, this is part of the success of his plan. Ho Chi Minh had always had good relations with the Communist Party, and they had already established a deep "revolutionary friendship" long before the outbreak of World War II.

When Ho Chi Minh was young, he often came to China to seek a way to save the country, train Vietnamese youth, and engage in Vietnamese ethnic activities in China. He has been in contact with the top echelons of the Chinese Communist Party, is very supportive of us, and he has a deep personal relationship with ***, and the relationship is extraordinary.

While Ho Chi Minh was working to drive out the foreign powers and achieve national liberation, he was unfortunately arrested by the Kuomintang and placed under house arrest for two years because of his membership in the Communist Party of Vietnam. ** Later, someone was found to help, which led to Ho Chi Minh's release.

Therefore, at that time, Ho Chi Minh and China had always stood on the same front and worked together to fight for the interests of the country and the nation.

Why did Ho Chi Minh not choose to be occupied by China, but chose to follow France?An important reason for this is his uncertainty about the balance of power between the Chinese Communist Party and the Kuomintang.

Ho Chi Minh had great expectations for the Communists, but not so much for the Kuomintang. However, in that chaotic period, it was difficult to determine where China would go in the future.

After the victory of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the relations between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party were still tense, and each was secretly competing with each other, and the ownership of the political power in New China was not yet clear. The Communists were too busy protecting themselves to give aid to Vietnam.

In addition, at that time it was the old Chiang who occupied Vietnam, therefore, Ho Chi Minh did not want to be occupied by China, more precisely, he did not want to be occupied by China under the Kuomintang.

Third, the treaty was torn up, and Ho Chi Minh laid out that France mistakenly thought that it could once again show its strength in Asia, gain benefits, and gain the upper hand.

Unexpectedly, this was just a big game of chess for Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam had already adjusted its condition, and after a year of recuperation, Ho Chi Minh tore up the treaty, reneged on his promise, and declared war on France.

The two sides were at a stalemate over control of Vietnam, and although the French were well-armed, the elite troops in them had been depleted in World War II, and there were very few left.

And the Vietnamese, although their equipment is backward, they have long been unable to bear the situation of long-term oppression, and they are determined to defend the country and drive out the invaders, and their patriotic enthusiasm is high.

The campaign dragged on for nine years, and both sides felt the pressure, with Vietnam facing a severe shortage of both manpower and material resources. Seeing Ho Chi Minh's plight, we decided to provide assistance to help Vietnam get through it.

The situation in China has changed, and the collapse of the Kuomintang regime and the ruling of the Chinese Communist Party have stabilized the situation at home. With our help, Vietnam was victorious, successfully ousting the French colonial rule in Vietnam and achieving temporary peace and stability.

Ho Chi Minh was a great man of great leadership, with a combination of thoughtful political strategy and excellent military talent. Under his leadership, the Vietnamese people fought for peace and independence, but the involvement of the United States undermined the process.

Despite Ho Chi Minh's death in 1969, he still made a great contribution to Vietnam's independence and progress. Ho Chi Minh had a unique strategic vision, and he used his wisdom and courage to compile a large net that succeeded in attracting the attention of the great powers.

He implemented a delaying tactic to buy precious time for Vietnam, and at the same time, he was also gradually achieving national liberation and independence.

Although the Vietnamese people experienced "endless" confrontation, Ho Chi Minh's leadership and vision enabled Vietnam to finally succeed in driving out the foreign powers and achieving national independence and development.

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