851G.00/5–2046: Telegram
The Vice Consul at Hanoi (O’Sullivan) to the Secretary of State
[Received May 23—11:30 p.m.]
20. Please pass to General Marshall for information.
There are three important political parties in Viet Nam.
They are Viet Minh League, composed of former Indo-Chinese Communist Party (PCI dissolved itself November 30, 1945) and [Page 44] Democratic Party, son [sic] Vietnam Cach Menh Dong Minh Hoi, generally referred to as Dong Minh Hoi or DMH; and Vietnam Quoc Dan Dang.
There are in addition several splinter parties which seem to serve chiefly as vehicles for organized banditry.
Both Dong Minh Hoi and Quoc Dan Dang seem have support of Chinese. Most active part of Viet Minh is factor composed of former PCI members.
Viet Minh strength seems to be spread throughout northern Indo-China. Dong Minh Hoi and Quoc Dan Dang control territory in Moncay, Langson, Vinh Yen area.49
As yet no Catholic party has appeared nor do Catholics appear to be committed to support of any one party. Viet Minh League has been making tentative moves to capture Catholic support but is said to be too radical to obtain full cooperation from church. In view of fact church claims million members in Tonking and Annam (large percentage believed to be “rice Christians”), it seems probable that Catholics as group will [not?] remain long absent from politics.
Sent Department, repeated Nanking; Saigon informed airmail.
- Vice Consul O’Sullivan, in telegram 69, July 26, 1946, 4 p.m., from Hanoi, reported the steady elimination of all organized opposition to the Viet Minh League. The Dong Minh Hoi and Quoc Dan Dang had lost influence with the departure of the 52nd Chinese Army from Tonkin. (851G.00/7–2646)↩