Abstract:
After the Second World War, a global wave of decolonization began. This shift was exemplified by
the United States recognizing the Philippines’ independence in 1946 and Great Britain granting India
independence in 1947. At the same time, France faced nationalist movements within its colonies,
particularly in Vietnam, where Cochinchina became the first colony to be decolonized after the war.
Before adopting the French Constitution on October 27, 1946, France reconquered Cochinchina and
attempted to establish an autonomous government to restore the Indochinese Union, which would later
be known as the Indochinese Federation. This policy led to failed negotiations with the Democratic
Republic of Vietnam and ultimately contributed to the outbreak of the Indochina War. In response,
France implemented the “B?o ??i solution,” which involved creating the State of Vietnam. Following
the Élysée Agreements on March 8, 1949, Decree No. 49-733 issued on June 4, 1949, attached
Cochinchina to the Associated State of Vietnam while maintaining French control under the French
Union. Drawing upon French archival sources and scholarly works, this study analyses France’s
Cochinchina policy (1945-1949), its implementation, and its consequences, arguing that this policy
was a decisive factor in the collapse of Franco-Vietnamese negotiations and the prolongation of the
First Indochina War.
|
