Evening star., 1954-04-18
Wet Nam

In Wet Nam, a country Of some
% million people. the most popular
man today is a Communist. Ho Chi
Mimi. Moscow trained, Ho worked
with nationalist, anti-colonial groups
in Indo-China even before World
War II. His technique. like that of
other Communists in the Southeast
Asia area, was to submerge his own
identity in the anti-colonial front.
After Frances swift defeat in
World War II and after the Japa-
nese occupation began, the Commu-
nistS became one of the most active
resistance groups in Indo-China. as
they had been elsewhere. Ho Chi
Mini himself came back to Wet Nam
some months before the japanese
surrender, bringing with him coali-
ton of popular front political parties
which came to be known as Wet
Mini, a shortened version Of "Viet
Nam independence League" At the
same time he organized the Comn1u-
mist Party of Indo-China.
On the eve of Japan's surrender.
the japanese military in Indo-China
deliberately turned over their arms
to the Wet Mimi, making it difficult
for the French to come back. Ho
moved into Hanoi, the Northern Wet
Namese metropolis and. being the
strongest force then in existence.
proclaimed his popular front group
the government, with himself as
President.
The Emperor Of AMMAN, one OF
three formerly separate kingdoms OF
Wet Nam, was invited to become
supreme adviser" to Ho. The young
Emperor, Bao Dai. abdicated and
accepted.
Negotiation FoiIs
When the French came back to
Indo- China, their first tactic was to
try to negotiate with Ho. On March
6. 1916, they signed a preliminary
agreement recognizing the Demo-
cratic Republic Of Wet Nam" Ho,
in turn, agreed to cooperate IN the
reoccupation of the area by French
troops.
But the French soon found they
could not do business with Ho. Ihe
relationship broke down on negotla-
tions for union of Cochin-Chl
with the rest Of Wet Nam, on mill
tary relations, and on control OF
customs and finance. AS unrest
mounted, the Wet Mini finally
launched a sneak attack on Decem-
ber 10, 1916, hitting Tonkin and
AMMAN with such surprising force
that the French were driven out OF
all of Northern Wet Nam. Heavy
French reinforcementS were sent to
Wet Nam, however, and they even
tually wrested control of all the
large Wet Namese cities-including
Haiphong and Hanoi-from the Wet
Mini.
To split off some of Ho Chi
Minis followers who sought indie
pendence but not in the Communist
manner, the French finally entered
into negotiations with Bao Dai. the
ex-emperor of AMMAN. On March
8, 1949, he was recognized as Chief
of State of Wet Nam. Accords Bao
Dai signed that day with the French
granted Wet Nam full internal SOW
ereignty and membership in the
French Union as an Associated
State.
Stuck With Boo Dol
The Wet Namese have been stuck
with Bao Dai ever since. All sides
agree that his selection as Chief of
State was not the best imaginable
solution, but both French and
United States officials now on the
scene challenge anyone to find
better anti Communist leader any
where in Wet Nam.
Bao Dai, now Al, has ShrewdneSS
end balance. But, of course, an odi-
Gus reputation of playing ball with
the French to the detriment of his
countrymen.
Last week. however, some of the
strongest nationalist forces in Wet
Nam which formerly had withheld
their support from Bao Dai signed
a declaration backing him. Bao
Dai himself is now in France await
ing the opening of the Geneva con-
ference. He also hopes to discuss
further the bogged-down negotia-
tions for complete Wet Namese IN
dependence.
Bao Dai's future depends, Of
course. on how successful he is in
obtaining complete independence for
his countrymen. Even If he gets it,
however. he would have hard time,
keeping control of the country if
democratic elections were to become
feasible.
He has agreed that there should
be Nationwide elections in Wet
Nam as soon as possible. OF course,
with the Wet Mini now occupying
more than half of the country and