Ho–Sainteny agreement

The Provisional French-Vietnamese convention (French Convention préliminaire franco- vietnamienne, Vietn. Hiệp định So Bo phaP Việt ) was a document signed in Hanoi on March 6, 1946 agreement between France and the Việt Minh. The convention is named after the signers Jean Sainteny and Hồ Chí Minh Hồ well - Sainteny Agreement, after the date 6 - March Agreement or to the place convention of Hanoi. Therein, France agreed to recognize the Democratic Republic of Vietnam as a " free state " within the French Union, in return allowed the Việt Minh to the French troops stationed north of the 16th parallel. At the convention followed one months later, the Conference of Dalat and summer, the Conference of Fontainebleau.

Background

In August 1945, the Vietnamese independence movement Việt Minh had the power vacuum after the surrender of Japan used to proclaim the Democratic Republic of Vietnam as part of the August Revolution. Internationally, however, the new state did not achieve international recognition, so that the French tried by a British- Chinese occupation phase, to take back control of the country. There were battles and war seemed imminent, however, the wanted neither France, which happened to be after the defeat in World War I in reconstruction, yet the Vietnamese who were exposed to Chinese influence at the same risk.

Already in mid-September 1945, recorded in Hanoi with French emissaries contact to negotiate the future of Indochina Hồ Chí Minh. On November 12, he handed a document demands, including immediate recognition of the independence, economic and cultural autonomy, cessation of hostilities and ban French troop movements, which, however, constitute unacceptable conditions for the French. Finally, there came yet to successfully approach. Chief Negotiator of France was Jean Sainteny, who had been present during the declaration of independence and relatively sympathetic to the Vietnamese cause was by French standards. Apart from Hồ Chí Minh and the nationalist Vũ Khanh Hồng was involved on the Vietnamese side, because the Việt Minh had formed with the VNQDĐ to pressure from the Chinese a unity government.

Immediately prior to the signing threatened the Franco- Chinese Haiphong incident on the morning of the same day to delay the conclusion of the contract.

Content

The Convention was signed in the afternoon on March 6, 1946 by Hồ Chí Minh Vũ Khanh Hồng and Jean Sainteny by five clock in Hanoi and came into force immediately. It included three main points:

  • France recognized the Democratic Republic of Vietnam as a free state with its own government, parliament, army and government finances as part of the Indochinese Federation and the French Union. The reunification of the three parts of Vietnam ( Annam, Cochin China, Tonkin ) should be clarified by a referendum.
  • The Việt Minh accepted the occupation of Tonkin and North Annam (Vietnam north of the 16th parallel) by French troops, which replaced the retreating Nationalist Chinese army of occupation. In an appendix the number of soldiers to 15,000 and the period was set at five years.
  • Immediate cessation of all hostilities

The future status of Vietnam should be clarified on a soon following conference.

Reactions and consequences

In France, the agreement was criticized. Although the Convention was initially even referred to as a model for other colonies, however, the majority of French politicians did it with the " Vietnamese communist " negotiated agreement far too many concessions and threatened Cochin, one of the most important colonies, to wrest France. Admiral D' Argenlieu, High Commissioner for Indochina, was quite surprised as to why his government had negotiations preferable to a military strike.

Back in March was then unabgesprochen created its own provisional French-Vietnamese government in Cochinchina and the colony of Cochinchina treated as a " free state " of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam in international law, which from Việt Minh view constituted a flagrant breach of the Convention and to a series of attacks waged against pro-French Vietnamese politician. The French made clear that they would not continue to tolerate the Việt Minh in Cochinchina. France defined the term much more closely and just wanted to give than expected by the Việt Minh, a far lower degree of autonomy - For another point of contention is the interpretation of the term " free state " developed.

Despite the collapse of the Treaty and the ongoing violence to Hồ Chí Minh tried to continue negotiations as planned. The negotiations in Dalat in April but ended inconclusively; also specified in the Provisional Convention conference, which took place in the summer of the same year in Fontainebleau, near Paris, led to an agreement.

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