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PART B: IMPACT OF WW2 ON FRANCE & THE JAPANESE OCCUPATION - Coggle…
PART B: IMPACT OF WW2 ON FRANCE & THE JAPANESE OCCUPATION
Impact of WW2 on France
points
● The outbreak of World War II in Europe forced France to focus its attention, manpower and military capabilities on defending itself against invasion from Italy and Germany in 1940.
● On 22 June 1940, France signed a peace treaty with Germany after the French surrendered, establishing the French Vichy government.
●The French Vichy government had to collaborate with the German forces, which influenced government decisions and policies relating to France and its colonies, including Vietnam.
● Over in Asia, Japan's growing ambitions and its war with China had led to its search for resources in Southeast Asia.
● With Vietnam's close proximity to China, and being an ally of Germany, Japan started to make its demands on the Vichy French administration in Vietnam to allow Japanese troops to be stationed there.
o Had no choice but to give in to these demands, and grant Japan greater access to raw materials and resources in Vietnam.
o Had to recognise Japanese economic and strategic interests in Vietnam.
Impact of the Japanese Occupation on Vietnam
Exposed weakness of the French colonial government
points
The French failure to resist the Japanese Occupation exposed its weaknesses in controlling and defending Vietnam.
The French colonial government signed a series of agreements which granted the Japanese favourable economic and military concessions that allowed the Japanese to secure a strong foothold in Vietnam.
▪ June 1940: granted Japan control over the northern border between China and Vietnam
▪ August 1940: acknowledged Japanese rights and interests in Southeast Asia
▪ September 1940: Gave Japan the right to use 3 airfields in Tonkin, to station 6000 troops there, and to send no more than 25000 troops through Vietnam as a transit point.
These humiliating concessions led to the Vietnamese losing fear and respect for the French.
▪ The French colonial government was perceived to be weak as it was seen to be cooperating with the Japanese occupying forces.
The French colonial government was perceived by the Vietnamese to be under the control and influence of an Asian country, and collaborating with the occupying forces to further exploit the Vietnamese.
▪ During the Japanese occupation of Vietnam, the French colonial administration continued its operations but worked for the Japanese to administer the country and facilitated Japanese exploitation of Vietnamese resources.
o E.g. goods meant for export were sold at low prices to Japan
o E.g. Japanese were granted free access to the roads, railways and ports in Vietnam.
●A key turning point: Japanese Occupation further encouraged the development of nationalism in Vietnam and accelerated Vietnam's path towards independence.
As Japan took control of Vietnam, it exposed the weaknesses of French colonial rule and supported nationalist leaders such as Ho Chi Minh 🡪 emboldened the Vietnamese in their resistance against French re-occupation of Vietnam after the defeat of Japan.
Encouraged the development of Vietnamese nationalism
points
Encouraged the development of Vietnamese nationalism
Before J.O.:
▪ Vietnamese anti-colonial and nationalist sentiments already existed but the Vietnamese were divided and did not share a set of common goals.
▪ French colonial government clamped down on anti-colonial activities, thus making it difficult for the nationalist leaders to rally the Vietnamese against French colonial rule.
During the J.O.:
▪ Prominent nationalist leaders like Ho Chi Minh were allowed to return to Vietnam to rally the people together against French colonial rule.
▪ The Japanese and the French authorities did not persecute the moderate Vietnamese nationalists. Instead, some of them were given the opportunity to participate in the administration of the country.
▪ The communist-inclined nationalists were treated differently: Attempts were made to crush their movement and influence.
▪ Ho Chi Minh reappeared on the scene to set up the League for the Independence of Vietnam or Viet Minh in May 1941:
o The organisation was initially formed to seek Vietnamese independence from French colonial rule but shifted its focus towards resisting Japanese occupation.
▪The experience of oppression under two different foreign powers (France and Japan) made the Vietnamese even more determined to resist colonial rule and secure their independence.
▪ Such sentiments meant that Ho Chi Minh was able to gain supporters upon his return to Vietnam.
▪ Consequently, the communist-inclined nationalists became even more aggressive than ever.
▪ They intensified their demand for complete independence and the expulsion of the French and the Japanese.
The circumstances of World War II also enabled the Viet Minh to gain support from foreign countries to resist the Japanese Occupation.
▪ The USA and China temporarily provided support to the Viet Minh to fight against their common enemy — Japan (a temporary arrangement).
▪ Such support included military arms and equipment that allowed the Viet Minh to build up a small army.
▪ This was a crucial development that allowed the Viet Minh to launch a military struggle against the French after World War II.
Power vacuum + Vietnamese declaration of independence in 1945
points
● Towards the end of the Japanese Occupation, when defeat was imminent, the Japanese sought to prevent the colonial powers from regaining control over their colonies.
o The Japanese overthrew the French colonial administration and arrested the French officials based in Vietnam.
o In 1945, Japanese-French co-operation ended. The French had allied themselves with Britain and the United States to fight the Japanese.
o The Japanese then played upon the feelings of the Vietnamese nationalists to end French rule in Vietnam.
o The Japanese restored Bao Dai as Emperor of Vietnam and established a puppet government of Japan 🡪 Bao Dai was unable to rule Vietnam effectively.
● When the Japanese surrendered, there was a power vacuum.
● This created a window of opportunity for Ho Chi Minh to lead the Vietnamese in the August Revolution and formally declare independence.
After the surrender of the Japanese, the Vietnamese nationalist groups attempted to obtain power in Vietnam through organising demonstrations and uprisings before the French reestablished control.
From 16 August 1945, Vietnamese nationalists began to organise themselves and planned for a revolution.
Rallies and demonstrations were held to win the support of the Vietnamese.
The National Committee for the Liberation of Vietnam was set up to plan for a new government.
On 19 August 1945, Ho Chi Minh led the Viet Minh in a rebellion against French colonial rule in Vietnam.
The Viet Minh and their supporters participated in widespread demonstrations against the French colonial administration.
Even though the Japanese had surrendered, the French administrators remained imprisoned and could not regain control of Vietnam immediately.
The Vietnamese nationalists were thus able to take over control of public buildings in various cities throughout Vietnam.
After establishing power in Hanoi, the Viet Minh moved on to do so in other parts of Vietnam.
On 25 August 1945, the Viet Minh reached Hue, where Bao Dai's power was based 🡪 Bao Dai abdicated and transferred power to the Viet Minh.
● On 2 September 1945, Ho Chi Minh proclaimed the establishment of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam.
This was a major victory for the Viet Minh and the people of Vietnam, as they had finally gained freedom from both French colonial rule and Japanese occupation.
● However, in 1946, the French returned to Vietnam and the First Indochina War (Vietnamese fought against French re-occupation after the end of WW2) between the Vietnamese communists and the French colonial forces began.