Vietnam declared its independence from France on this day in 1945: Read more

Vietnam’s communist leader Ho Chi Minh declared the country’s independence from France on this day, i.e. September 2, back in 1945. It was just hours after Japan’s surrender in World War II that Ho Chi Minh felt emboldened enough to proclaim the independent Democratic Republic of Vietnam. Today Vietnam celebrates its 75th Independence day. 

Vietnam had been a French colony before World War 11 started. After France fell to Germany in 1940, Japan seized control of Vietnam but allowed French officials and troops to administer the country. Seeing an opportunity to liberate Vietnam, the communist leader Ho Chi Minh made his way to the country from China in early 1941. 

READ: Vietnam Briefs India Over Situation In South China Sea

Ho was born in 1980 and he left Vietnam in 1911. He spent almost 30 years in exile, living in the United States, Britain France and Russia among other places. He travelled extensively before returning to Vietnam. He and his initial few followers even operated in primitive conditions in mountainous jungles along Vietnam’s border with China. 

There, he organised a Vietnamese guerrilla organisation, the Viet Ming, to fight for the country’s independence. According to anecdotes, in March 1945, with the war in Pacific having clearly turned against Japan, Tokyo seized direct control of Vietnam and evicted French troops. The Viet Minh used the resulting confusion to seize even more territory. 

READ: Indians Joined By Vietnamese, Tibetans In Anti-China Protests At Capitol Hill

Declaration of Independence 

The Viet Minh’s success then attracted the attention of the US Office of Strategic Services (OSS) after which the OSS officer met with Ho and the two men struck a deal. While the OSS agreed to equip the Viet Minh with radios and some light arms, in return, the Viet Minh agreed to give the OSS intelligence, harass Japanese forces, and try to rescue American pilots shot down over Viet Minh-controlled territory. 

It was in early 1945 that Japan ousted the French administration in Vietnam and executed numerous French officials. In September, when Japan formally surrendered to the allies, Viet Minh moved into Hanoi unopposed. It marked the first time Ho had set foot in his country’s biggest city. On September 2, 1945, in front of a crowd of hundreds of thousands, Ho declared Vietnam an independent nation and began his speech with the words;

“All men are created equal. They are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, among them are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness”. 

READ: Vietnam's Capital Faces Shortage Of Testing Kits As COVID-19 Cases Rise

READ: Vietnam Confirms 21 More Cases In New Virus Outbreak