![\"French](\"https:\/\/secondbysecondworldwar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/WFrenchIndoChina.jpg\")
<\/a>French Indo-China [public domain, wiki\/AWM]<\/p><\/div>On 29 July 1941, \u00a0the government of Vichy France and the government of Japan enacted a protocol for the ‘common defence of Indo-China.’ Vichy finally had to accept the reality of the military might of Japan and situation in south-east Asia.<\/p>\n
The agreement gave the Japanese access to bases in French Indo-China, which comprised Cambodia, Laos, plus Annam, Tonkin and Cochin China. [The latter three territories make up present-day Vietnam]. The region was the third largest in the world for the production of rice.<\/p>\n
In late 1940, Vichy had replaced the French Governor General, General Georges Catroux, with Vice-Admiral Jean Decoux in the hope that the latter would take a firm stand against Japanese encroachment.<\/p>\n
Decoux could do little. The Japanese had occupied Saigon and had already entered Cambodia.<\/p>\n
![\"General](\"https:\/\/secondbysecondworldwar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/Wcatroux-300x225.jpg\")
<\/a>General Georges Catroux in London [Attr: wiki\/AWM Creative Commons, Share-Alike 3.0 Unported]<\/p><\/div>By the end of the year, French Indo-China was controlled by the Japanese, although it continued to be administered by Vichy.<\/p>\n
Georges Catroux left French Indo-China and found his way to London, where he joined the Free French forces under Charles de Gaulle. Catroux was the most senior French general to join the Gaullist cause.<\/p>\n
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On 29 July 1941, \u00a0the government of Vichy France and the government of Japan enacted a protocol for the ‘common defence of Indo-China.’ Vichy finally had to accept the reality of the military might of Japan and situation in south-east … Continue reading