Vietnam: Difference between revisions

It is a member of the [[Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere|Co-Prosperity Sphere]].

== History ==

During World War II, after the fall of France and establishment of Vichy France, the French had lost practical control in French Indochina to the Japanese, but Japan stayed in the background while giving the Vichy French administrators nominal control.

Originally, French Indochina comprised the colony of Cochinchina and the protectorates of Annam, Cambodia and Tonkin, and the mixed region of Laos. After the fall of France in June 1940, the French Indochinese government had remained loyal to the Vichy regime, which collaborated with the Axis powers. The following month governor Admiral Jean Decoux signed an agreement under which Japanese forces were permitted to occupy bases across Indochina. In September the same year Japanese troops invaded and took control of Northern Indochina, and then in July 1941 they occupied the Southern half as well. The Japanese allowed Vichy French troops and the administration to continue on albeit as puppets.

By 1944 with the war going well for the Japanese after victories in Burma and the Philippines they feared that the Allies might incite a rebellion in French Indochina. The Japanese were already suspicious of the French, despite their collaboration. The instability within the regime gave further doubts as to where the loyalties of the colonial administration lay. The Vichy regime by this time had been unstable but its colonial administration was still in place in Indochina. Eventually as France grew weaker in its power, Japan openly took over on 9 March 1945.

To gain the support of the Vietnamese people, Imperial Japan declared that it would return sovereignty to Vietnam. On 11 March 1945, Emperor Bảo Đại was permitted to announce the Vietnamese "independence", this declaration had been prepared by Seiko Yokoyama, Minister for Economic Affairs of the Japanese diplomatic mission in Indochina and later advisor to Bảo Đại.

Bảo Đại declared the Treaty of Huế made with France in 1884 void. Trần Trọng Kim, a renowned historian and scholar, was chosen to lead the government as prime minister. Hence, The Empire of Vietnam was formed in the closing days of World War II, with independence from Japan granted to all the previous territories under French Indochina, alongside Kampuchea and Laos.

=== Japanese Presence ===

After the creation of the puppet Empire of Vietnam, the Japanese began raising an army to help police the local population. The Vietnamese Imperial Army was officially established by the IJA 38th Army to maintain order in the new country. The Vietnamese Imperial Army was under the control of Japanese lieutenant general Yuitsu Tsuchihashi, who served as an military adviser to the Empire of Vietnam.

Despite this Japanese Presence, the Viet Minh was in the shadows waiting to strike, vowing to declare a free Vietnam free from Japanese control.