August Revolution
Encyclopedia
On August 19, 1945, the Việt Minh
under Hồ Chí Minh
began the August General Uprising Tổng Khởi Nghĩa, which was soon renamed the August Revolution . Whether or not this series of events should be called a "revolution" is disputable; what is clear is that, from August 19 onwards, demonstrations and uprisings against French colonial rule broke out in cities and towns throughout Vietnam. Given that Japan had surrendered to the Allies
at the end of World War II
, the Japanese forces in Indochina
stepped aside and allowed nationalist groups to take over public buildings in most of the major cities. While the Japanese allowed the nationalist groups free run of the country, they kept former French officials imprisoned.
This uprising is also referred to as the uprising by the Indochinese Communist Party.
Given minor supplies by the United States of America, the Việt Minh
were tactically allied with US forces against the Japanese.
in French Indochina
. French officials and soldiers were arrested. The Japanese reinstated Bảo Đại
as Emperor and created a puppet government.
On April 30, 1945, the cooperation between US officials and the Vietnamese
communists was demonstrated when Major Archimedes Patti, of the US Office of Strategic Services
, met with Hồ Chí Minh
and received a message of warmth and solidarity from Hồ; shipments of arms and instructors were increased.
On August 14, 1945, the Japanese surrendered to the Allies
. In Indochina
, the Japanese officials took advantage of the situation to cause additional problems for the Allies. Violating the surrender agreements, they helped Vietnamese nationalist groups, including the Việt Minh, to take over public buildings in various cities. On August 19, 1945, Việt Minh revolutionaries successfully seized power in Hanoi
, which was later made the capital city of the independent Vietnam. On August 25, 1945, Bảo Ðại was forced to abdicate in favour of Hồ and the Việt Minh.
began to occupy Việtnam north of the 16th parallel
under the pretext of disarming the Japanese. The Việt Minh did not resist. In Vietnam south of the 16th parallel, a British occupation force arrived in October 1945. Both forces of occupation had been specified by the Potsdam Conference
.
Hồ Chí Minh and the Việt Minh began negotiations with the French in late 1945. The Việt Minh were willing at this point to negotiate for something less than independence. Politically, they distrusted the occupying Nationalist Chinese both from ideological and historical viewpoints. In early 1946, the French army returned to northern Vietnam with the initial cooperation of the Việt Minh and rapidly reestablished its authority.
Having achieved this aim, relations between Hồ Chí Minh and the French gradually broke down. The Việt Minh then set about launching the rural insurrection that began the First Indochina War
, known to most Vietnamese as the French-Resisting War.
Viet Minh
Việt Minh was a national independence coalition formed at Pac Bo on May 19, 1941. The Việt Minh initially formed to seek independence for Vietnam from the French Empire. When the Japanese occupation began, the Việt Minh opposed Japan with support from the United States and the Republic of China...
under Hồ Chí Minh
Ho Chi Minh
Hồ Chí Minh , born Nguyễn Sinh Cung and also known as Nguyễn Ái Quốc, was a Vietnamese Marxist-Leninist revolutionary leader who was prime minister and president of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam...
began the August General Uprising Tổng Khởi Nghĩa, which was soon renamed the August Revolution . Whether or not this series of events should be called a "revolution" is disputable; what is clear is that, from August 19 onwards, demonstrations and uprisings against French colonial rule broke out in cities and towns throughout Vietnam. Given that Japan had surrendered to the Allies
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
at the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the Japanese forces in Indochina
Indochina
The Indochinese peninsula, is a region in Southeast Asia. It lies roughly southwest of China, and east of India. The name has its origins in the French, Indochine, as a combination of the names of "China" and "India", and was adopted when French colonizers in Vietnam began expanding their territory...
stepped aside and allowed nationalist groups to take over public buildings in most of the major cities. While the Japanese allowed the nationalist groups free run of the country, they kept former French officials imprisoned.
This uprising is also referred to as the uprising by the Indochinese Communist Party.
Given minor supplies by the United States of America, the Việt Minh
Viet Minh
Việt Minh was a national independence coalition formed at Pac Bo on May 19, 1941. The Việt Minh initially formed to seek independence for Vietnam from the French Empire. When the Japanese occupation began, the Việt Minh opposed Japan with support from the United States and the Republic of China...
were tactically allied with US forces against the Japanese.
March to August
On March 9, 1945, the Imperial Japan overthrew the Vichy French administration of Jean DecouxJean Decoux
Jean Decoux was a French politician, who was the Governor-General of French Indochina from 1940 to 1945, representing the Vichy French government.-Biography:Decoux was born in Bordeaux...
in French Indochina
French Indochina
French Indochina was part of the French colonial empire in southeast Asia. A federation of the three Vietnamese regions, Tonkin , Annam , and Cochinchina , as well as Cambodia, was formed in 1887....
. French officials and soldiers were arrested. The Japanese reinstated Bảo Đại
Bảo Đài
Bảo Đài is a commune and village in Lục Nam District, Bac Giang Province, in northeastern Vietnam.-References:...
as Emperor and created a puppet government.
On April 30, 1945, the cooperation between US officials and the Vietnamese
Vietnamese people
The Vietnamese people are an ethnic group originating from present-day northern Vietnam and southern China. They are the majority ethnic group of Vietnam, comprising 86% of the population as of the 1999 census, and are officially known as Kinh to distinguish them from other ethnic groups in Vietnam...
communists was demonstrated when Major Archimedes Patti, of the US Office of Strategic Services
Office of Strategic Services
The Office of Strategic Services was a United States intelligence agency formed during World War II. It was the wartime intelligence agency, and it was a predecessor of the Central Intelligence Agency...
, met with Hồ Chí Minh
Ho Chi Minh
Hồ Chí Minh , born Nguyễn Sinh Cung and also known as Nguyễn Ái Quốc, was a Vietnamese Marxist-Leninist revolutionary leader who was prime minister and president of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam...
and received a message of warmth and solidarity from Hồ; shipments of arms and instructors were increased.
On August 14, 1945, the Japanese surrendered to the Allies
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
. In Indochina
Indochina
The Indochinese peninsula, is a region in Southeast Asia. It lies roughly southwest of China, and east of India. The name has its origins in the French, Indochine, as a combination of the names of "China" and "India", and was adopted when French colonizers in Vietnam began expanding their territory...
, the Japanese officials took advantage of the situation to cause additional problems for the Allies. Violating the surrender agreements, they helped Vietnamese nationalist groups, including the Việt Minh, to take over public buildings in various cities. On August 19, 1945, Việt Minh revolutionaries successfully seized power in Hanoi
Hanoi
Hanoi , is the capital of Vietnam and the country's second largest city. Its population in 2009 was estimated at 2.6 million for urban districts, 6.5 million for the metropolitan jurisdiction. From 1010 until 1802, it was the most important political centre of Vietnam...
, which was later made the capital city of the independent Vietnam. On August 25, 1945, Bảo Ðại was forced to abdicate in favour of Hồ and the Việt Minh.
Proclamation of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam
Hồ Chí Minh proclaimed the Democratic Republic of Vietnam on September 2, 1945. However, only a few days later Nationalist Chinese forces under General Lu HanLu Han
Lu Han was a KMT general of Yi ethnicity.-Life:His alma matter was Yunnan military academy. He was commander of the First Group Army in the Second Sino-Japanese War....
began to occupy Việtnam north of the 16th parallel
16th parallel north
The 16th parallel north is a circle of latitude that is 16 degrees north of the Earth's equatorial plane. It crosses Africa, Asia, the Indian Ocean, the Pacific Ocean, Central America, the Caribbean and the Atlantic Ocean....
under the pretext of disarming the Japanese. The Việt Minh did not resist. In Vietnam south of the 16th parallel, a British occupation force arrived in October 1945. Both forces of occupation had been specified by the Potsdam Conference
Potsdam Conference
The Potsdam Conference was held at Cecilienhof, the home of Crown Prince Wilhelm Hohenzollern, in Potsdam, occupied Germany, from 16 July to 2 August 1945. Participants were the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, and the United States...
.
Hồ Chí Minh and the Việt Minh began negotiations with the French in late 1945. The Việt Minh were willing at this point to negotiate for something less than independence. Politically, they distrusted the occupying Nationalist Chinese both from ideological and historical viewpoints. In early 1946, the French army returned to northern Vietnam with the initial cooperation of the Việt Minh and rapidly reestablished its authority.
Having achieved this aim, relations between Hồ Chí Minh and the French gradually broke down. The Việt Minh then set about launching the rural insurrection that began the First Indochina War
First Indochina War
The First Indochina War was fought in French Indochina from December 19, 1946, until August 1, 1954, between the French Union's French Far East...
, known to most Vietnamese as the French-Resisting War.