This is an American Soldier - He is Your Friend
7/5/1945
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In 1945, during World War II, Japanese troops took control of Vietnam (under French rule at the time). The U.S. Psychological Warfare Office and the Office of War Information in China developed this leaflet when it appeared that American forces might enter Vietnam to liberate it from Japanese occupation. In the end, China and Britain oversaw the repatriation of Japanese soldiers, and the pamphlet wasn’t needed.
At the end of the war, Ho Chi Minh—the Vietnamese Communist leader—seized an opportunity to escape decades of French rule. The day Japan surrendered to the Allies, Ho Chi Minh declared independence in front of a crowd of exhilarated Vietnamese. In a deliberate appeal for American support, he opened 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." But the U.S. government adopted a neutral policy when France went to war to recolonize Vietnam in 1945; and President Harry S. Truman authorized direct financial and military assistance to the French in 1950.
At the end of the war, Ho Chi Minh—the Vietnamese Communist leader—seized an opportunity to escape decades of French rule. The day Japan surrendered to the Allies, Ho Chi Minh declared independence in front of a crowd of exhilarated Vietnamese. In a deliberate appeal for American support, he opened 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." But the U.S. government adopted a neutral policy when France went to war to recolonize Vietnam in 1945; and President Harry S. Truman authorized direct financial and military assistance to the French in 1950.
This primary source comes from the Records of U.S. Army Forces in the China-Burma-India Theaters of Operations.
Full Citation: This is an American Soldier - He is Your Friend; 7/5/1945; LS Annamite French Action, Nov 44-July 45; General Records, 1944-1945; Records of U.S. Army Forces in the China-Burma-India Theaters of Operations, Record Group 493; National Archives at College Park, College Park, MD. [Online Version, https://docsteach.org/documents/document/american-soldier-your-friend, January 13, 2025]Rights: Public Domain, Free of Known Copyright Restrictions. Learn more on our privacy and legal page.
