Article Vietnam, 1945: A War of Missed Opportunities

[morris]

The OSS and Ho Chi Minh

Some will be shocked to find out that the United States and Ho Chi Minh, our nemesis for much of the Vietnam War, were once allies. Indeed, during the last year of World War II, American spies in Indochina found themselves working closely with Ho Chi Minh

kansaspress.ku.edu

In 1945, members of the American "Deer Team," part of the OSS (Office of Strategic Services CIA predecessor), worked with Vietnamese guerrilla fighters to throw Japanese troops out of Indochina. As the war ended, the people of Vietnam looked to the United States to support their dreams of independence.


Members of the Deer Team and Viet Minh at training camp. Allison Thomas stands in the center and is flanked on his left by Vo Nguyen Giap and on his right by Ho Chi Minh. Photo by the National Archives and Records Administration.

Members of the Deer Team providing instruction to the Vietnamese on use of the M-1 carbine, August 16, 1945. Photo by the National Archives and Records Administration.

Allison Thomas standing alongside members of the Viet Minh preparing for the march toward Hanoi, August 1945. Photo by the National Archives and Records Administration.

Archimedes Patti and Vo Nguyen Giap (both front center) saluting the Allied and Vietnamese flags as the Star Spangled Banner and Vietnamese national anthem played. Photo courtesy of the Archimedes L. Patti Collection, University of Central Florida.

Peaceful demonstrations in Hanoi advocating independence for Vietnam, August 1945. Photo courtesy of the Archimedes L. Patti Collection, University of Central Florida.

 

[morris]

Vietnamese General Vo Nguyen Giap inspects Viet Minh soldiers during their fight against the occupying Japanese in 1944. Giap and the Viet Minh later turned their nationalism fueled by Communist doctrine against the colonial French and then the United States.

Viet Minh soldiers and supporters hold a public rally in the city of Hanoi in March 1945.

Communist soldiers loyal to Ho Chi Minh parade through the streets of Hanoi in April 1946. The Viet Minh eventually humiliated the French at Dien Bien Phu and drove them from Indochina.

 

[Connaught Ranger]

Britain's Vietnam -

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

 

[BravoZulu]

Britain's Vietnam -

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

I enjoy Mark Felton's vids

 

[OldGuy]

Vietnamese General Vo Nguyen Giap inspects Viet Minh soldiers during their fight against the occupying Japanese in 1944. Giap and the Viet Minh later turned their nationalism fueled by Communist doctrine against the colonial French and then the United States.
View attachment 348341

Viet Minh soldiers and supporters hold a public rally in the city of Hanoi in March 1945.
View attachment 348342

Communist soldiers loyal to Ho Chi Minh parade through the streets of Hanoi in April 1946. The Viet Minh eventually humiliated the French at Dien Bien Phu and drove them from Indochina.
View attachment 348343

The end of the WWII they actually gave the Japanese their weapons and had them act as policemen in Vietnam.,. France was still on it's knees after war and it was some time before they could reassemble in Vietnam. That has to be the worst decision ever made by America and our allies. The French were butchers lobbing heads and raping the country of their Rubber Plantations and other great commodities. The only thing they left were the Fruit Bats that they were bringing into Vietnam and all of Indo China in the cargo holes of their ships. I look back on Vietnam and have respect for the men who fought and died because I now know the history and all of us were lied to and used by thieving bastard LBJ just like our half wit we now have on the payroll.

 

[TIGREDELAIRE]

more than surprised by the actions of the English in Vietnam, much more than surprised to see Ho and Nguyen with American advisors...life takes many turns