Service of Vietnam During the Conflict
The primary service that Vietnam rendered came in the form of local resistance groups and sparsely armed militia that helped to repel Japanese troops from the shores of Vietnam. Without the intelligence and manpower provided by the locals, it would have been likely that the entrenched Japanese forces could have taken a bloodier toll on the Allied troops. Aside from this, local guides helped the arriving Allied forces to understand the topography of Vietnam which gave them a strategic advantage over the Japanese soldiers who had little understanding of the country and its various roads.
Principles that Ho Referred To
The primary principles that Ho was referring to consist of “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.” These refer to the right for self-determination by the Vietnamese people, the ability to make their own choices regarding the path their country will take through their own elected body of representatives as well as the capacity to engage in activities of their choosing. Ho utilized this statement from the Declaration of Independence of the U.S. and applied it to the case of Vietnam.
Ho stated that, in a broader sense, these rights applied to everyone on Earth and, as such, they supersede the supposed “right” of the French colonizers to “own” Vietnam in any capacity. Ho even explained that these rights were reasserted when it came to the defense of the country by the local freedom fighters. The fact that the French capitulated so readily and the Vietnamese fought so fiercely for their country showed that the French could not be relied on to defend or rule over them. As such, the right to self-rule should firmly be in the hands of the Vietnamese people since they have earned the right to freedom through the blood and sacrifice of numerous freedom fighters who gave their lives to ensure that Vietnam would be free from foreign invaders.
Crimes of the French
The most severe crimes of the French are the extra-judicial killings of various Vietnamese citizens who protested against the actions of the French government as well as the severe economic limitations that they imposed on the country (Rydstrom, 2015). Yes, the French did divide the country into distinct sectors and introduced opium and alcohol to control the population, but it was the economic limitations that were emplaced that truly devasted the country.
Without proper economic infrastructure, the country could not rise out of its current system (Peters, 2004). This made them reliant on the French for assistance which “justified” the killings of protestors as a way of keeping the peace. For example, the high taxes, intentional limitations on economic opportunities, as well as forced labor, prevented the local economy of Vietnam from truly taking off. This resulted in generations of people being born into poverty with possibly no hope in sight.
In comparison, former European colonies such as Hong Kong that were given extensive economic assistance and liberties faired better resulting in their rise into regional hubs of trade and commerce. Because France failed to do the same with Vietnam despite having the opportunity and resources to do so, as well as abused the Vietnamese people, it can be stated that Vietnam’s independence from France is undoubtedly justified considering the circumstances involved and the number of people killed for unjustifiable reasons.
Reference List
Peters, E. J. (2004). Taste,Taxes,and Technologies: Industrializing Rice Alcohol in Northern Vietnam,1902–1913. French Historical Studies, 27(3), 569-600.
Rydstrom, H. (2015). Politics of colonial violence: Gendered atrocities in French occupied Vietnam. European Journal Of Women’s Studies, 22(2), 191-207.