French reassert control in Saigon War in Vietnam (1945–46)



free french 6th commando c.l.i. in saigon saluted surrendered japanese in november 1945.


by september 23, of saigon in french hands, less half dozen vital positions in viet minh control. french subsequently regained total control of saigon. on day, former french prisoners of war had been reinstated army troops 5th ric ejected viet minh in coup in 2 french soldiers killed.


on night of 24/25 vietnamese reacted mob (not under viet minh control) , abducted , butchered large number of french , french-vietnamese men, women, , children. on 25th, viet minh attacked , set fire city s central market area, while group attacked tan son nhut airfield. airfield attack repelled gurkhas, 1 british soldier killed along half dozen viet minh. british had war on hands, mountbatten had sought avoid.


for next few days, parties of armed viet minh clashed british patrols, viet minh suffering mounting losses each encounter. british soldiers highly professional , experienced troops had finished battling japanese; many officers , soldiers had experienced internal security , guerrilla warfare in india , north west frontier. in contrast, though viet minh courageous, still learning how fight war.


in october, gracey held talks viet minh , truce agreed upon. on 5th, general philippe leclerc, senior french commander, arrived in saigon , troops placed under gracey s command. however, on october 10, state of semi-peace viet minh broken unprovoked attack on small british engineering party inspecting water lines near tan son nhut airfield. of engineering party killed or wounded. gracey accepted fact level of insurrection such first have pacify key areas before repatriate japanese. @ time small force had been strengthened arrival of second infantry brigade, 32nd, under brigadier e.c.v. woodford. gracey deployed 32nd brigade saigon s troublesome northern suburbs of gò vấp , gia Định. once in area viet minh fell before force, included armoured car support indian 16th light cavalry.


aerial reconnaissance spitfires revealed roads approaching saigon blocked: viet minh attempting strangle city. on october 13, tan son nhut came under attack again viet minh; commandos , sappers able time come within 275m of control tower. @ doors of radio station before attack blunted indian , japanese soldiers. viet minh fell airfield, japanese ordered pursue them until nightfall, when contact broken.


by mid-october, 307 viet minh had been killed british/indian troops , 225 killed japanese troops, including new body count of 80 more viet minh @ da lat. on 1 occasion, japanese repulsed attack on headquarters @ phú lâm, killing 100 viet minh. british, french, , japanese casualties small comparison. on 17th, third brigade, 100th, commanded brigadier c.h.b. rodham, arrived in indochina.








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