1- The beginning : 1945-1946

• May 1945
  INDOCHINA’s name became “VIETNAM”. HO CHI MINH created a liberation committee.

• June 1945
  LECLERC became the chief Commander of the Far East Expeditionary Corps.

• 	Rrebellious actions against French power called for by HO CHI MINH

  August 1945
  HO CHI MINH called for insurrection. JAPAN capitulated. In INDOCHINA the Japanese were disarmed by the Chinese troops north of the 16th parallel and by the Briti sh troops south of the 16th parallel. Admiral Thierry D’ARGENLIEU was appointed Indochina high commissioner. HO CHI MINH arrived in Hanoi. SAINTENY arrived in Hanoi together with an OSS (Office of Strategic Services) leader. A Southern Liberation Committee was created by the Vietminh. Emperor BAO DAI abdicated in favour of the Hanoi government; Cédile and Messmer were parachuted respectively in Cochin-China and in Tonkin. A government of the VIETNAM republic was formed with HO CHI MINH as its president.

• September 1945
  HO CHI MINH proclaims the independence of VIETNAM. The first Franco-British troops landed in SAIGON under the command of General GRACEY. Chinese troops enter HANOI. The transitory government of VIETNAM was formed with HO CHI MINH as its president.

• September 1945
  SAIGON: the Cité Héraud massacre by Vietminh terrorists.

• October 1945
  LECLERC’s troops reached SAIGON. Mytho was occupied by French troops. Admiral Thierry D’ARGENLIEU reached SAIGON.

• November 1945
  VINH LONG and TAY NINH were occupied by French troops. Troops from the 6th RIC land in NHATRANG.
  

	On March 18th 1946, President HO CHI MINH meets with General LECLERC in the presence of Jean SAINTENY, the government commissioner of TONKIN in the governor’s residence. (ECPA-D)

• Décember 1945
  In HANOI incidents took place between the Vietminh and the Dong Ming Hoï, which was supported by the Chinese nationalists. Two thirds of COCHIN CHINA, CAMBODIA, NHATRANG and BAN ME THUOT were under French control.

• March 1946
  Agreements were signed between SAINTENY and HO CHI MINH in Hanoi. French troops landed in HAÏPHONG. LECLERC met with HO CHI MINH in Hanoi. Thierry D’ARGENLIEU met with HO CHI MINH at ALONG BAY.

• April 1946
  The DALAT conference began.

• June 1946
  Chinese troops began to evacuate HANOI. Incidents and bombings took place in HANOI.

• August 1946
  The Fontainebleau conference between France and the Vietminh began. The second DALAT conference began.

• September 1946
  Franco-Vietnamese modus vivendi. (MOUTET-HO CHI MINH)

• October 1946
  Assassination committees created by GIAP « purged » the nationalist opposition.

		The rest of the article: A nine-year-war The beginning A guerrilla war set in a “decolonisation” background" Fierce fighting in a cold war environment