1946 Beginning of the Indochina War

70 years ago, on December 19, 1946, France started the war in Indochina. On this day, the command of the French troops demanded the disarmament of the forces of the Vietnamese Communists (Viet Minh) in Haiphong. At the same time, French troops attacked parts of the Viet Minh in Hanoi. The communists switched to guerrilla warfare. By the end of March 1947, the French controlled only the main cities, the roads that linked them together, and the coastal territory. The hinterland of the country became the fiefdom of the Viet Minh.