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The International Committee of the Red Cross and the Indochina War — From the Japanese defeat to the Geneva Agreements (1945–1954)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 January 2010

Florianne Truninger  and
François Bugnion
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Extract

Institutions — like individuals — have a memory. They are rooted in it and draw strength from it to weather the vagaries of vogue and sentiment. To a large extent the historical consciousness is the source of the standards set for the present and for the future.

Yet time does take its toll, first dimming the memory of past events, then shrouding them in the mists of oblivion.

Type
Contributions to History
Information
International Review of the Red Cross (1961 - 1997) , Volume 34 , Issue 303 , December 1994 , pp. 564 - 594
Copyright
Copyright © International Committee of the Red Cross 1994

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References

1 The Potsdam Conference brought together in the Berlin suburb from 17 July to 2 August 1945 President Truman — who had just succeeded Roosevelt following his death a few weeks earlier — Stalin and Churchill, who was replaced by Clement Attlee on 26 July when the results of the general elections became known. As the first summit meeting of the leaders of the “Grand Alliance” following Germany's capitulation, the Potsdam Conference had the task of deciding the fate of Germany, Poland and other countries of central and eastern Europe, but it also dealt with further operations in the war against Japan. Nevertheless, the disappearance of the common enemy revealed such antagonism between the British/American statesmen and their Soviet ally that this third summit — after those of Teheran and Yalta — was also the last. In retrospect, the Potsdam Conference may be considered as the starting point of the Cold War.

2 Report of the ICRC on its activities during the Second World War (September 1, 1939 — June 30. 1947), Vol. I, General Activities, Geneva, ICRC, 1948, p. 507.Google Scholar

3 Letter of 6.2.46 from the Headquarters of the Supreme Allied Commander, South-East Asia, to H. Hurlimann. ICRC Archives — dossier G. 17/69. Letter No. 8 of 18.4.46 from the ICRC to H. Hurlimann. ICRC Archives — dossier G. 17/69.

4 Letter dated 29.6.46 from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the head of the ICRC delegation in France. ICRC Archives — dossier G. 17/69 II.

5 Memorandum addressed to Mr. Aeschlimann delivered on 26.1.47 by Mr. Royere. Diplomatic Counsellor to the High Commissioner. ICRC Archives — dossier G. 17/69 II. Note No. 5544 of 7.1.47 from the Paris delegation to the ICRC. ICRC Archives – dossier G. 17/69 II.

6 Telegram No. 9610 of 13.1.47. ICRC Archives — dossier G.17/69 II.

7 Letter of-17.1 47 from the provisional ICRC delegate, Father Willigers, to the President of the DRV, Ho Chi Minh. ICRC Archives — dossier G. 17/69 II.

8 Letter of 19.1.47 from the provisional delegate, Father Willigers, to the Commander of the French forces in northern Indochina, General Morlière. ICRC Archives — dossier G. 17/69 II.

9 Note of 20.1.47 from the head of the Delegations Department, R. Voegeli, to C. Aeschlimann in Saigon. ICRC Archives — dossier G.I7/69 II.

At that time the Red Cross of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRV) did not yet fulfil all the conditions for recognition as a full member of the International Red Cross.

10 Letter dated 8.2.47 from the DRV government's Under-Secretary of State for Internal Affairs, Hoang Huu Nam. ICRC Archives – dossier G.17/69 II.

Note No. 6188 of 17.4.47 from the Paris delegation on the Giam/Aeschlimann meeting of 21.2.47. ICRC Archives — dossier G. 17/69 II.

11 Note No. 5837 of 17.2.47 from the Paris delegation. ICRC Archives — dossier G. 17/69 II.

12 Cablegram No. 6267 of 10.3.47 from C. Aeschlimann. ICRC Archives — dossier G.17/69.

13 Revue Internationale de la Croix-Rouge (RICR), No. 346, 10 1947, pp. 813–818.Google Scholar

14 Letter No. 2 of 9.5.47 from Dr. Descoeudres. ICRC Archives — dossier G.17/69 II.

15 Letter No. 3 of 23.5.47 from Dr. Descoeudres. ICRC Archives — dossier G. 17/69 II.

16 Letter No. 8 of 23.6.47 from Dr. Descoeudres. ICRC Archives — dossier G.17/69 II.

17 Letter No. 19 of 19.7.47 from Dr. Descoeudres. ICRC Archives — dossier G.17/69 III.

18 Letter of 29.7.47 from Ho Chi Minh. ICRC Archives — dossier G.17/69 II.

19 Letter No. 21 of 27.7.47 from Dr. Descoeudres. ICRC Archives — dossier G.17/69 III.

20 Letter of 26.3.47 from C. Aeschlimann. ICRC Archives — dossier G. 17/69 II.

Note No. 6188 of 17.4.47. ICRC Archives — dossier G.17/69 II.

21 Telegram of 15.3.47 from the High Commissioner in Saigon. ICRC Archives — dossier G.17/69 II.

22 Note No. 6228 of 9.4.47 from W. Michel to the ICRC. ICRC Archives — dossier G.17/69 II.

23 Letter No. 10 of 28.6.47 from Dr. Descoeudres. ICRC Archives — dossier G. 17/69 II.

Letter No. 14 of 5.7.47 from Dr. Descoeudres. ICRC Archives — dossier G. 17/69 III.

24 Memorandum addressed to Mr. Aeschlimann delivered on 26.1.47 by Mr. Royère, Diplomatic Counsellor to the High Commissioner. ICRC Archives — dossier G.17/69 II. Note No. 5544 of 7.1.47 from the Paris delegation. ICRC Archives — dossier G.17/69 II.

25 Letter of 1.9.47 from the ICRC to the President of the DRV. ICRC Archives — dossier G.17/69 III.

26 Letter of 22.5.47 to the Legation of Spain in Berne. ICRC Archives — dossier G.17/69 II.

27 Letter dated 28.8.47 from the High Commissioner to the ICRC. ICRC Archives — dossier G.17/69 III. Note on the activities of the ICRC in Indochina, undated, 4 pages. ICRC Archives — dossier G.17/69 II.

28 Letter dated 3.9.47 from the ICRC to the High Commissioner. ICRC Archives — dossier G.17/69 III.

29 Letter dated 1.9.47 from the ICRC to the President of the DRV. ICRC Archives — dossier G.17/69 III.

30 Letter of 23.2.48 from C. Aeschlimann to the High Commissioner. ICRC Archives — dossier G.17/69 III. Report No. 12 of 2.3.48 by C. Aeschlimann. ICRC Archives — dossier G.17/69 III.

31 Record of the meeting of 12.7.48 of the Delegations Commission. ICRC Archives.

32 Note No. 9229 of 18.8.48 from W. Michel to the ICRC. ICRC Archives — dossier G.17/69 III.

33 Note No. 9707 of 30.3.49 from the ICRC to its Paris delegation. ICRC Archives — dossier G.17/69 III. Letter 11/49 of 12.4.49 from C. Aeschlimann. ICRC Archives — dossier G. 17/69 III.

34 Letter No. 375/2688 of 2.12.48 from C. Aeschlimann. ICRC Archives — dossier G.17/69 III

35 Minutes of the meeting of 12.10.49 of the Delegations Commission. ICRC Archives. Letter of 16.9.49 from the DRV. ICRC Archives — dossier G. 17/69 III.

36 Letter of 25.11.49 from the ICRC Vice-President Mr. Bodmer to Ho Chi Minh. ICRC Archives — dossier G.17/69 III.

37 Letter of 17.4.50 from ICRC President P. Ruegger to J. Nehru and reply of 22.4.50 from J. Nehru to P. Ruegger. ICRC Archives — dossier G.17/69.

38 ICRC Report on General Activities (January 1 to December 31, 1950), p. 77.Google Scholar

Letter No. 17 of 12.5.50 from R. Gallopin, Executive Director, to C. Aeschlimann. ICRC Archives — dossier G.17/69 III.

Letter No. 37 of 10.8.50 to C. Aeschlimann. ICRC Archives — dossier G. 17/69 III.

39 Report of 30.7.50 by R. Marti on his mission to Burma. ICRC Archives — dossier G.17/69 III.

Report of 27.12.50 by F. Siordet and W. Michel on their mission in connection with Indochina. ICRC Archives — dossier G.17/69 III.

40 Letter of 24.3.50 from C. Aeschlimann on his mission to Thailand. ICRC Archives — dossier G. 17/69 III.

Letter of 20.5.50 from C Aeschlimann. ICRC Archives — dossier G.17/69 III.

41 Letter of 29.9.50 from the French Red Cross in Indochina. ICRC Archives — dossier G.17/69 III.

Note No. 11963 of 3.10.50 from the head of the ICRC's Paris delegation, W. Michel. ICRC Archives — dossier G.17/69 III.

42 ICRC Report on General Activities (January 1 to December 31, 1950) p. 78. Report by Dr. Marti on his mission to Vietnam from 28.3 to 9.6.51, 10 pages. ICRC Archives — dossier 200(69).

43 Ibid., p. 78.

44 Report by Dr. Marti on his mission to Vietnam from 28.3 to 9.6.51, 10 pages. ICRC Archives — dossier 200(69).

45 During this mission, P. Ruegger met Chou En Lai to discuss, inter alia, the issue of Indochina, though the minutes of this meeting are not on record in the ICRC Archives. ICRC Archives — dossier 251 PR(34).

46 Letter of 13.5.51 from Dr. Marti to the DRV Government, 2 annexes concerning the two appeals of 22–23–26.3.1951 and 1–2.4.1951. ICRC Archives — dossier 200(69). RICR, No. 388, 04 1951, pp. 257–259.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

47 Note No. 12 of 28.6.51 from P. Kuhne, with 2 annexes concerning the message from the DRV Red Cross (26.6.51) and the message from P. Kuhne to Ho Chi Minh (27.6.51). ICRC Archives — dossier 200(69).

48 Note No. 30 of 27.7.51 from P. Kuhne, 17 pages. ICRC Archives — dossier 200(69).

49 Account by P. Kuhne of his mission to Indochina, 5 pages, minutes of 24.10.51 of a meeting of the External Activities Commission. ICRC Archives.

50 Report on the work of the ICRC (January 1 to December 31, 1952), pp. 50–51.Google Scholar

51 Note No. 31 of 30.7.51 from P. Kuhne. ICRC Archives — dossier 200(69).

52 Telegram No. 9952 of 28.12.51 from P. Ruegger to the High Commissioner of the French Republic to Saigon. ICRC Archives — dossier 200(69).

53 Note No. 11 of 26.2.52 from A. Durand. ICRC Archives — dossier 202(69). Notes of 17.2.53 and of 27.10.53 from J. de Preux. ICRC Archives — dossier 202(69). Note of 11.1.54 from J.P. Maunoir. ICRC Archives — dossier 202(69).

54 Report No. 2 of 3.3.52 from A. Durand. ICRC Archives — dossier 200(69). Internal Note of 6.6.52 from J.P. Maunoir, pp. 3–4. ICRC Archives — dossier 200(69).

55 Note No. 22 of 1.2.52 from J. de Reynier. ICRC Archives — dossier 200(69). Report No. 3 of 17.3.52 from A. Durand. ICRC Archives — dossier 200(69).

56 French Red Cross minutes of the meeting on 15.5.52. ICRC Archives — dossier 200(69). The ICRC did not attend this meeting.

57 Record of the work session of 5.3.53. ICRC Archives.

58 Note of 26.3.53 from J. Chenevière, ICRC Vice-President. ICRC Archives — dossier 200(69).

59 The French authorities drew a distinction between prisoners who were regular Viet Minh troops and military internees, comprising civilians who had taken up arms, organized or participated in attacks or transmitted messages or intelligence. Note No. 11 dated 26.2.52 from A Durand. ICRC Archives — dossier 210(69).

60 Letter of 2.4.53 from R. Gallopin, Executive Director, to J. Letourneau, minister responsible for relations with associated States. ICRC Archives — dossier 200(69).

61 Notes No. 11 of 26.2.52 and 229 of 24.8.53 from A. Durand. ICRC Archives — dossier 210(69).

62 It should be recalled that, in the absence of reciprocity, the ICRC did not transmit official reports to the French Government, instead it submitted a list of the issues raised to enable it to monitor the follow-up given during subsequent visits.

63 Minutes of the ICRC plenary meeting of 16.4.53. ICRC Archives. Minutes of the plenary meeting of 25.6.53. ICRC Archives.

64 Mission to Moscow from 8–20 November 1950 during which P. Ruegger had talks with A. Gromyko, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs. The meeting had no precise agenda, but a review of the ICRC's current activities had been envisaged. Although the Indochina question was included, no minutes of the meeting either with the Alliance of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies of the USSR or with government authorities have been found on file. ICRC Archives — dossier G.3/PRa.

65 Letter of 21.7.53 from L. Boissier to Ho Chi Minh. ICRC Archives — dossier 272(69).

Letter of 14.8.53 from the Embassy of the DRV in Peking to L. Boissier. ICRC Archives — dossier 272(69). Letter of 11.9.53 from L. Boissier to the Embassy of the DRV in Peking. ICRC Archives — dossier 272(69). Letter of 4.12.53 from L. Boissier to the Embassy of the DRV in Peking. ICRC Archives — dossier 272(69).

66 Letter of 24.12.53 from L. Boissier to Hoang Minh Giam. ICRC Archives — dossier 200(69).

67 Letter of 19.9.53 from L. Boissier to Ho Chi Minh. ICRC Archives — dossier 280(69).

Letter of 17.2.54 from ICRC Vice-President F. Siordet to Ho Chi Minh. ICRC Archives — dossier 280(69).

68 It should be noted that, whereas the State of Vietnam acceded to the Geneva Conventions of 1949 on 14 November 1953, no declaration with regard to application of the four Conventions was made by the authorities of the DRV.

69 Document D. 346 of 4.5.54. Situation of the wounded in the Vietnam conflict, 5 pages.

70 Appeal to the belligerents in Indochina. Press release No. 508 of 28.4.54. ICRC Archives — dossier 200(69). RICR, No. 425, 05 1954, p. 337.Google Scholar

71 Report by A. Durand on the situation in Indochina (1953–1955) submitted at the plenary meeting of 3.3.55, 16 pages. ICRC Archives — dossier 200(69).

72 Ibid.

RICR, No. 427, July 1954, p. 530.

Report on operations to evacuate the wounded from the ranks of the French expeditionary force at Dien Bien Phu released by the High Command of the Vietnamese People's Army between 13 and 26 May 1954. ICRC Archives — dossier 210(69) Note No. 352 of 29.6.54 from A. Durand. ICRC Archives — dossier 210(69).

73 Minutes of the meeting of 12.5.54 between ICRC representatives and the DRV delegation to the Geneva Conference. ICRC Archives — dossier 200(69).

74 Letter of 3.6.54 from P. Ruegger to Pham Van Dong. ICRC Archives — dossier 200(69).

75 Report by A. Durand on the situation in Indochina (1953–1955) submitted to the plenary meeting of 3.3.55, 16 pages. ICRC Archives — dossier 200(69).

Report of Activities 1954, pp. 39–41.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

RICR, No. 429, September 1954, p. 703.

76 At the time this Society, like the DRV Red Cross in the north, did not fulfil all conditions for recognition as a full member of the International Red Cross.

77 RICR, No. 431, 11 1954, p. 877 CrossRefGoogle Scholar. ICRC Annual Report for 1954, pp. 39–41.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

78 ICRC Annual Report 1955, pp. 18–20.Google Scholar

79 Note No. 16 of 25.8.54 from J.P. Maunoir. ICRC Archives — dossier 200(69).