President Roosevelt Essay, Research Paper

In 1943 President Roosevelt suggested that Indochina come under the control of four powers after the war, proposing that the eventual independence of the Indo-chinese might follow in twenty to thirty years time. No one knew whether the policy would require American troops, but America was firm on the fact that independence could not be taken by the Vietnamese, but would be granted to the Vietnamese by the Great Powers at their convenience. At the Yalta conference Roosevelt repeated his desire for a trusteeship but during March 1945 he considered the possibility of French restoration in return for their promise that independence would eventually occur. At the Potsdam Conference of July 1945, the issue of Indochina was resolved by authorizing the British takeover of the nation south of the 16th parallel and Chinese occupation north of it. This meant that the French, whom the British had supported since 1943, would return. This effectively made the USA responsible for the French reoccupation. USA?s support for the French return to Indochina was logical, as this provided a way to stop the Communists from advancing in the East.