1947 a year of frustration

The different types of troops within the French Army, the Colonial Infantry, the Foreign Legion, North African and Indochinese soldiers.  A biography of the new French Governor in Indochina Emile Bollaert who tries to grant limited independence for Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam within the French Union.  Yet his plans for a peace deal with the Democratic Republic of Vietnam are prevented by the French Government who do not want to see a break up of its empire in Indochina.

The link for the RSS feed is in the show notes for episode 2.1.

The War in the North

The French military stage a coup to seize control of North Vietnam.  In Haipong with naval support take over the port.  The French Army win the battle for control of Hanoi,  The Viet Minh withdraw into countryside and avoid an open battle with the French Army.  The position of the International Communist Movement towards Vietnam.  A biography of the leader of the French Communist Party and strong opponent of the War in Indochina, Maurice Thorez

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The March Agreement

The French Army commander General Leclerc reaches a peace deal with the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, allowing Ho Chi Minh to run the domestic affairs of North Vietnam but allows the French Army to return to its former bases.  However General Leclerc is replaced by General Valluy who plans for a French military take over of North Vietnam, a biography of General Valluy.  The Geography of Vietnam.  Anti imperialism within the American press and public.

The August Revolution

In August the Japanese Empire surrenders.  In Indochina, Nationalist seize the cities, in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh declares the independence of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam.  In North Vietnam the Chinese Nationalist Army accepts the surrender of the Japanese Army but allow Ho Chi Minh Government to manage the internals of North Vietnam.  In South Vietnam the British Army helps the French regain control, the Viet Minh suffer heavy defeats.  A short biography of the last Vietnamese emperor Bao Dai, who will later play a further role in the First Indochina War.

To be released on Saturday 11th November.

Bao Dai

First Indochina War

The French occupation of Indochina between 1862 and 1945.  Indochina is exploited for the benefit of the French state and French businesses.  The French Colonial Authorities try to crush Vietnamese Nationalism.  in 1940 the Japanese Army occupy Indochina and the French Colonial Authorities work with the Japanese until March 1945.  A biography of Ho Chi Minh, the leader of the Vietnamese Communists.

To be released on Saturday 4th November.

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To give the historical context to the Korean War and to explain the reason why the United States would commit itself to fight Communist in Korea, which would last five years and cost the lives of over thirty thousand men and a billon dollars.  I shall be adding a season of episodes explaining in detail events both before and during the Korean War, which led to the fear of Communist domination of Asia.

For Stalin due to the American superior nuclear arsenal did not want a direct conflict between the Soviet Union and the United States.  Instead Stalin wanted the armies of the western powers to drawn into unwinnable wars in Asia against Communist armies with superior numbers of men.  The Korean War was not the only such war the British Army was to be drawn into a war in Malay and the French into a war in Indochina.

The First Indochina War Podcast season

I will begin with a twenty episode season on the First Indochina War, when the Communist Viet Minh would grind a modern western army, the French Army in a war which would last from 1945 to 1954.

Kim Jong Un and the Atomic Bomb
In this special edition, I discuss the recent tensions in Korea over the North Korean atomic bomb and missile programmes. Also I will announce a second podcast season which places the Korean War in its historical context and the events both before and during the Korean which played an important affect on the Korean War, stating with the First Indochina War.

Korea 1953 – 2016

In this the final episode of the Korean War Podcast, I will tell of some of the major incidents that have occurred along the Demilitarised Zone and off the seas of Korea involving North and South Korea.

Questions

In this the second of three special episodes to wrap up the Korean War podcast, I shall attempt to answer questions sent to me by listeners.

Heroes of the Korean War

In this special episode I will tell the stories of just some of the men who won either the Congressional Medal of Honour or the Victoria Cross for their valour during the Korean War