NND Project Number: NND 63316. By: NWD Date: 2011
Consulate
Hanoi, French Indochina
September 12, 1947
Recd CONFIDENTIAL
Oct 7, 1947
ACTION SUBJECT: Speech of Emile Bollaert on September 10 on French Policy in Indochina
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THE HONORABLE
THE SECRETARY OF STATE
WASHINGTON, D.C.
SIR:
I have the honor to refer to my telegram number 286 of September 11, 8 a.m. and to report further on the speech delivered by EMILE BOLLAERT, High Commissioner of France for Indo China. There are enclosed five copies of the speech as published by "L'Entente" in a supplement to its regular daily edition.
The site selected by Mr. Bollaert was HADONG, a provincial capital which lies 10 miles southeast of Hanoi, and which was, for a time, headquarters of the Viet Ham Government after its flight from Hanoi in December, 1946. Hadong apparently was chosen as the place for the speech that M. Bolleart might make reference to "this razed city of Tonkin, in ruins still haunted by memories of terror". Robert Sherrod of "Time" had previously described it as "probably the most thoroughly war-wrecked city in the world."
The speech itself was delivered at about 5 p.m. in a public square. Around M. Bollaert, when he spoke, were gathered the several hundred civilians (white and Vietnamese) and the many military officers who had been invited. Some 1,500 Vietnamese, largely peasant women and children, were kept behind ropes set up to form a square in the center of which was the rostrum that the Vietnamese guerrillas had tried to burn the evening previous.
This speech represents the most important declaration of French policy that has been made in the last year. M. Bollaert, it will be recalled, was originally named H Commissioner for Indo China, replacing Admiral THIERRY D'ARGENLIATI in March. He arrived in Indo China early in April, and subsequently returned to Paris in June.
He was in Saigon again in late July and shortly thereafter revealed to the p ss that he intended to deliver a major policy declaration in
