From:
http://www.britannica.com/bcom/eb/article/2/0,5716,36912+2+36216,00.html "De Gaulle's successful campaign to edge Giraud out gave the world proof of his skill in political maneuver. On Sept. 9, 1944, he and his shadow government returned from Algiers to Paris.
He headed two successive provisional governments but, on Jan. 20, 1946, abruptly resigned, apparently owing to irritation with the political parties forming the coalition government."
From:
http://members.tripod.com/paulrparker/namhist/ September 22, 1945 - In South Vietnam, 1400 French soldiers released by the British from former Japanese internment camps enter Saigon and go on a deadly rampage, attacking Viet Minh and killing innocent civilians including children, aided by French civilians who joined the rampage. An estimated 20,000 French civilians live in Saigon.
September 24, 1945 - In Saigon, Viet Minh successfully organize a general strike shutting down all commerce along with electricity and water supplies. In a suburb of Saigon, members of Binh Xuyen, a Vietnamese criminal organization, massacre 150 French and Eurasian civilians, including children.
General Phillipe LeClerc is named Commander of French Forces(Foreign Legion). October 1945 - 35,000 French soldiers under the command of World War II General Jacques Philippe Leclerc arrive in South Vietnam to restore French rule. Viet Minh immediately begin a guerrilla campaign to harass them. The French then succeed in expelling the Viet Minh from Saigon. The Viet Minh attack the French in the North."
Straffo, I am sure you have a better grasp of French history than I. However, it does seem that DeGaulle was head of the provisional French government when France sent LeClerc and 35,000 troops to VietNam in October of 1945. That sort of stands, in my mind, as the real beginning of the armed conflict against the VietMinh. The philosophical lines were drawn and troops committed.
DeGaulle, as provisional President of the government, had to be a part of that decision. Most likely, he himself made the final decision "to restore French rule".
After DeGaulle resigned, the assembly chose the Socialist Félix Gouin to immediately replace him. Shortly thereafter, in January of '47 another Socialist, Vincent Auriol, became President and he lasted until 1954. Of course, in 1954, the French finally withdrew from VietNam.
So, it appears to me that DeGaulle made the initial decision to commit French troops and to reclaim VietNam as a French colony. The Socialists continued on this course and prosecuted the war to it's unsuccessful conclusion.
As for the rest, if you find the French Government at fault, how do you exonerate the nation (people)? Are not the people the ones that elect the Government? Is not the Government an extension of the people's will (theoretically
)
As far as France being destroyed by the war...yes, it suffered heavily. Are you saying that somehow the US should have been solely responsible for rebuilding all the damage?
Who bears the responsibility for the rapid military collapse of France under the German blitzkrieg? Is not this collapse the basis for the later destruction of France?
I'm not sure you want to point fingers and assign liability for destruction. You eventually get to the place where you have to choose between the desire for a destructive liberation or continued occupation.
As far as Truman "forcing" the French Government to spend the money wisely, you KNOW this was impossible. The very idea of "les Americains" dictating ANYTHING to the French, particularly in that era, is laughable. No, it was the responsibility of the French people to make sure their Government spent the money properly. It was most certainly NOT the responsibility of the US!
[This message has been edited by Toad (edited 12-12-2000).]
