The role of the French in the Indo-Chinese war could be characterized as a desperate attempt to maintain control over their colonies in Asia. For the uninitiated, in the aftermath of the Second World War, the majority of European powers, which were inclusive of Britain and Germany, had relinquished their colonies, deeming them as distracting burdens.
On the contrary, the French were still adamant that the possession of colonies would give the nation much desired power and status. From December 19, 1946 to August 1, 1954, the French were engaged in a brutal, grueling and ultimately unsuccessful campaign in Vietnam.The catalyst for conclusion of the war was the demoralizing and humiliating defeat of the French at the short-lived battle of Dien Bien Phu. Other contributing factors which lead towards the defeat of the French included the failed tactics of the French, the lack of political motivation, their ignorance towards the aptitude of the Viet Minh, and the ultimate determination of the Vietnamese people to keep Vietnam as an independent socialist republic. Most prominently, the French were not congruent with the type of guerrilla warfare employed by the Vietnamese, and the war was primarily thought in the vast, abrasive jungles of Vietnam.
The French lacked knowledge on the environment, whilst for the Vietnamese; the jungles were greatly intertwined with their culture and way of life. In an essence, the French lost the Indo-Chinese war due to the fact that they did not anticipate the way of which the war would play out. Another factor driving the defeat of the French could be the involvement of numerous other powerful countries. The French were primarily supported in their efforts by the United States of America (1950-1954), whereas the Viet Minh were supported by the Soviet Union for the duration of the war, and by China (from 1949-1954).
The United States assisted the French with the war because they did not want for Vietnam to become communist as it was a widely held belief across America that communism had evil intentions, additionally the USA wanted trading partners, which communism would have prevented. On the contrary, communist China and the Soviet Union wanted Vietnam to be victorious, as this would advance the spread of communism. Both China and the Soviet Union recognized Ho Chi Minh as the leader of Vietnam and sent him countless supplies and materials.For example, 2000 Chinese and Soviet Union military advisors were sent to Vietnam to train the Viet Minh guerrilla force, and transform it into an even more effective and vicious army.
An even more direct example of how this contributed to the French losing the Indo-Chinese war could be the involvement of the Chinese at the battle of Dien Bien Phu. China sent two artillery battalions at the siege of Dien Bien Phu on May 6, 1954. One operated 12 x 6 Katyusha rockets, which were used effectively to aid the defeat of the French at the battle, which ultimately advanced their retreat.The abundance of support from the Chinese and Soviets was one of the primary factors influencing the defeat of the French, without their continuous support, it is likely that the combined French and American efforts would have provided enough momentum and force to defeat the Viet Minh. Broadly speaking, it was the involvement of the USSR and China secured the success of the Viet Minh, against powerful French forces. The Vietnamese were not willing to give in too easily, under the leadership of the influential Ho Chi Min.
The Vietnamese were aware that the French had previously lost their own country, and were incapable of defending it, which lead the Vietnamese people to believe that the French didn’t have the capacity to lead Vietnam to be the prosperous and dignified nation they so wanted it to be. This factor, combined with the view of the French, also contributed towards the defeat of the French. A lack of political motivation began to emerge in France, as the war wasn’t supported by the French population or it’s constantly changing governments. For example, the war was often viewed as the ‘Dirty colonial War’ or as ‘La sale guerre’ (the dirty war).Essentially, the French began to sympathize with the idea that the possession of colonies were a thing of the past, and that they should’ve been concentrating on expanding their economy in other forms. The French had little reason to be there, and the war was frowned upon back in France.
Whereas, the Vietnamese people were highly knowledgeable on the war, and acted in unison to prevent the French forces from dominating their newly free country. The factors exhibited above indisputably constitute the reasons why the French lost the Indo-Chinese war.Each side faced ever-present obstacles and overcame countless setbacks and dilemmas in an attempt to reach their goals, however ultimately, the Vietnamese pulled off the most successful campaign. The use guerrilla warfare by the Vietnamese, the intervention of foreign powers, the lack of support from the French and the overall strength and determination of the Vietnamese people to keep Vietnam as an independent socialist republic are the reasons behind the defeat of the French. The first Indo-Chinese war will eternally be remembered for the strength of its combatants, the political motivations, and the perseverance of the Vietnamese people.
