Page:Pentagon-Papers-Part I.djvu/222

Declassified per Executive Order 13526, Section 3.3
NND Project Number: NND 63316. By: NWD Date: 2011

TOP SECRET – Sensitive

	Adopted the name "Ho Chi Minh" (He Who Enlightens). Still leader of Viet Minh, Ho became a member of Central Committee — and temporary Chairman — of Dong Minh Hoi (Vietnam Revolutionary League). Both groups received support from China and U.S. Ho returned to Tonkin clandestinely, devoting efforts to the Viet Minh.
1944	Ho operated in the jungles in North Vietnam. He constantly sought aid from the U.S. through the O.S.S.
1945	May 1945 established liberated zone of six provinces in Tonkin and was visited by U.S. officer of O.S.S. In June, Ho called for National Congress, but convening was postponed to August at Tan Trao. Viet Minh program: (1) disarm Japs before Allied entry (2) wrest power from enemy (3) be in authority to receive Allied forces. August 19, Governor fled, Bao Dai abdicated, and few days later National Liberation Committee proclaimed "provisional government" with Ho Chi Minh president. September 2, Ho Chi Minh declared independence of Vietnam Democratic Republic. (British land in Saigon-Chinese enter Hanoi.) On November 11, Ho dissolved ICP and formed Marxist Study Group. Ho wrote to President Truman in October and November.
1946	Appealed to U.S., U.K. USSR and China in February. Wrote letters to President Truman on 16 and 18 February. Ho formed "coalition" government under Chinese occupation on March 2, 1946. Exercised personal prestige to gain acceptance 6 March 1946 Agreement providing for French replacement of Chinese in Tonkin. Ho at Dalat Conference in May, and Fontainebleau, France, in August, failed to produce negotiated settlement of differences with French. On 11 September, Ho told U.S. Ambassador Caffrey in Paris that he was not a communist. Ho signed modus vivendi on 14 September following breakdown of Fontainebleau talks, and returned to Hanoi. French seized local government in Haiphong and Langson in November. DRV armed forces attacked French in Hanoi on 19 December 1946. Ho moved DRV government into mountains.
1947	On April 30, Ho relinquished the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to his Socialist Under Secretary. Ho had Vietnam government reshuffled twice to form broadest coalition possible against French and to avoid "extremist" label by foreigners. (French negotiated with Bao Dai to split resistance.)