383:"The French Far East Expeditionary Corps was designed to fight a conventional battle against the Japanese Army, but under one of two scenarios: either as part of a reconquest of Indochina or, to placate American desires, as part of a follow-on wave of assault troops in the upcoming invasion of Japan’s home islands. The early fall of Japan obviated the need to invade Japan, but it also meant that American logistical and transportation support was lost. This corps was at first organized with two Colonial Far East Infantry Divisions composed of Senegalese soldiers, but upon more detailed consideration the was composed of the
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997:, so as not to alert hostile eyes to the unfamiliar configuration of the B-29 Superfortress. From the beginning, the Americans were appalled at the total lack of French preparedness for anything like the control of a major saturation bombardment operation. French Col. Brohon later said that this project involved the use of "several A-bombs" in the Dien Bien Phu area.
605:
355:
1000:
Caldara decided to judge the situation for himself. On April 4, 1954, in the dead of the night, he flew his B-17 with an
American crew over the valley of Dien Bien Phu, repeated the mission later with a French C-47 Dakota; and then once more with the B-17. The overall plan was simple enough; the two
391:
with mostly
European soldiers, the 2d Armored Division, the Far East Brigade composed of colonial troops in Madagascar, and the Far East Marine Brigade which had two infantry battalions, an armored battalion, and an artillery battalion and was intended as the amphibious assault element of the corps.
1009:, head for their target; and exit from Indochina via the Gulf of Tonkin. The French at the highest levels seemed to have no idea of the power of the 98 Superfortresses. This bombing mission was never approved as Winston Churchill was against it. Late that month on 29 April 1954
981:(FEAF), had arrived in Saigon and begun talks with his French counterpart, Gen. Lauzin, as well as with Gen. Navarre. He had brought with him Brigadier General Joseph D. Caldara, then the chief of the FEAF Bomber Command—the man who would fly and command the
1017:
were in the process of air-lifting into
Indochina the brand-new 7th BPC (Bataillon de Parachutistes Coloniaux), en route from Europe to Vietnam via Colombo, Ceylon. Thus U. S. Air Force aircraft and personnel were actively involved in Vietnam in 1954.
426:
landed in
Indochina, or 183,240 Africans in total. On February 1, 1954, they represented 43.5% of the 127,785 men of the ground forces (excluding indigenous Vietnamese). Most of the professional airborne units (BPC) and the entire
1119:
Jackson, Peter D. "French ground force organizational development for counterrevolutionary warfare between 1945 and 1962." Master's dissertation, Fort
Leavenworth, KS: US Army Command and General Staff College,
392:
Mostly organized and equipped along
American lines, this was a powerful conventional force that could assault and fight Japanese divisions in the vicinity of Saigon, Hanoi, or the Japanese home islands."
346:
unless they volunteered to do so. Less than half of the total personnel of the Corps were French professional soldiers, mostly serving with paratrooper, artillery and other specialist units.
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1279:
1314:
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1324:
418:
In 1954, the CEFEO included 177,000 men, including 59,000 indigenous people. Colonial soldiers made up the bulk of the ground forces. Between 1947 and 1954, 122,900
678:, then in the 1950s support—using conventional warfare. The First Indochina War officially lasted from November 20, 1946 until July 20, 1954 and was settled by the
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585:, which was a Japanese colony. On June 7, 1945, Leclerc was nominated commander of the CEFEO. On June 22, Leclerc transferred command of the
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Koburger, Charles W. Naval
Expeditions: The French Return to Indochina, 1945-1946. Westport, CT: Praeger Publishers, 1997.
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as its capital. In 1946, they would become associated states within the French Union and by 1949 Tonkin, Annam and the
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In 1946, nationalist, then communist popular rebellion movement rose up against established colonial rule in the
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From
September 1945 to the cease-fire in July 1954, a total of 488,560 men and women served in Indochina:
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969:
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At the beginning of April 1954, Lt. General Earle E. ("Pat") Partridge, Commander of the U. S.
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overwhelmed its rival nationalist movements and organized itself as a guerilla army using
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729:
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in August 1944- to
Colonel Dio. Leclerc received command of the Far East French Forces (
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in Europe the following year, the French authorities wanted to "free" the last
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1153:, French newsreels archives (Les Actualités Françaises), November 5, 1953
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that went to
Transport Group 1/64, 2/64, 2/63 which had both C-47s and
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Among the aircraft supplied to the French in Indochina in 1950-51 were
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were metropolitan French, as were some artillery and specialist units.
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The CEFEO was created in early 1945 as a replacement for the older
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1214:(2nde ed.). New York, N.Y.: Da Capo Press. pp. 293–311.
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The CEFEO was largely made up of voluntarily-enlisted indigenous
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The CEFEO was largely made up of voluntarily-enlisted indigenous
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After withdrawal of the last CEFEO troops from the independent
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182:
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542:, divisional commander of colonial "Indochina French Forces" (
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colonial or protectorate territories, one exception being the
403:'s colonial or protectorate territories in Northwest Africa
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CEFEO shoulder patch insignia bearing the "Far East" mark.
538:, FEFEO). Its purpose was to support Saigon-based General
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paratroopers in the delta area of northern Vietnam (1952)
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Military units and formations of the First Indochina War
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missions (bombing the area around Dien Bien Phu with 98
922:(but these were only operated by US civilian pilots of
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Among the French ground forces in the Far East was the
1212:
Hell in a very small place the siege of Dien Bien Phu
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Military units and formations disestablished in 1956
407:(Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia), sub-Saharan Africa,
1165:"Journal of Southeast Asian Studies, Vol. 28, 1997"
536:
Forces Expéditionnaires Françaises d'Extrême-Orient
46:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
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1325:Military units and formations established in 1945
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1005:would rendezvous east of the Laotian capital of
512:to Vietnam. They would be later involved in the
293:Corps Expéditionnaire Français en Extrême-Orient
128:Corps Expéditionnaire Français en Extrême-Orient
1264:FEFO French resistance in Indochina (1943-1945)
968:that went to 14th Carrier Fighter Flotilla (on
930:that went to 11th Carrier Assault Flotilla (on
415:which consisted mainly of European volunteers.
940:that went to 3rd Carrier Assault Flotilla (on
508:joined the French Union CEFEO and sailed from
1320:Military units and formations of the Cold War
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1162:
1143:Departure of the French U.N. Korean battalion
1001:wings of B-29s from Okinawa and the one from
654:excluding the latter which was a colony with
411:, and South-East Asia. An exception was the
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702:in 1956, the corps was disbanded by General
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964:that went to the 28th Bomber Flotilla, and
1256:Indochina Order of Battle, 1 February 1942
372:1st Foreign Parachute Heavy Mortar Company
1280:CEFEO evolution (French Defense archives)
1182:
1123:
989:). The Americans had arrived at Saigon's
885:Commander: Contre-Admiral Bosvieux (1952)
315:. The CEFEO later fought and lost in the
106:Learn how and when to remove this message
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603:
526:Japanese coup d'Ă©tat in French Indochina
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1132:Les Forces Françaises en Extrême-Orient
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581:, these included the newly established
458:72,833 Foreign Legionnaires (including
141:CEFEO insignia bearing the traditional
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1098:
685:
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55:"French Far East Expeditionary Corps"
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532:Far East French Expeditionary Forces
44:adding citations to reliable sources
15:
804:Forces Terrestres en ExtrĂŞme-Orient
599:Forces Françaises en Extrême-Orient
285:French Far East Expeditionary Corps
13:
1335:Expeditionary units and formations
1107:The French Indochina War 1946-1954
892:Forces AĂ©riennes en ExtrĂŞme-Orient
847:Forces Maritimes en ExtrĂŞme-Orient
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650:(South Vietnam), all states being
14:
1346:
1237:
878:Direction Navale d'ExtrĂŞme-Orient
813:Forces Terrestres du Nord Vietnam
559:Southern Expeditionary Army Group
490:and numerous other nationalities)
1109:. Osprey Publishing. p. 11.
869:Vice-Admiral Auboyneau (1952–54)
831:Forces Terrestres du Sud Vietnam
724:Philippe Leclerc de Hauteclocque
342:conscripts did not serve in the
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902:that went to Bomber Group 1/25
616:First Indochina War (1946–1954)
389:9th Colonial Infantry Divisions
31:needs additional citations for
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1:
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829:South Vietnam Ground Forces (
811:North Vietnam Ground Forces (
786:Groupe d'Opération Nord-Ouest
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593:) -the famous unit which had
544:Forces Françaises d'Indochine
307:that was initially formed in
876:Far East Naval Directorate (
784:North West Operation Group (
500:In early November 1953, the
121:Far East Expeditionary Corps
7:
1272:Veterans federation website
1069:
858:Georges Thierry d'Argenlieu
10:
1351:
748:Jean de Lattre de Tassigny
630:federation then including
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523:
349:
241:Jean de Lattre de Tassigny
1210:Fall, Bernard B. (2002).
956:and Group de Chasse 2/22
504:returning from the ended
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213:French, British, American
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1105:Windrow, Martin (1998).
1086:Vietnamese National Army
802:Far East Ground Forces (
660:Republic of Cochin China
577:occupied territories in
550:resistance small groups
514:battle of Mang Yang Pass
944:until April 30, 1954),
936:until April 30, 1954),
845:Far East Naval Forces (
554:then fighting with the
516:of June and July 1954.
358:Soldiers shooting with
1163:Martin Thomas (1997).
839:6th Engineers Regiment
719:
612:
502:French U.N. volunteers
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127:
1052:Pierre Schoendoerffer
952:(Fighter Group) 1/22
890:Far East Air Forces (
795:Christian de Castries
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646:(Middle Vietnam) and
642:(North Vietnam), the
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413:French Foreign Legion
369:
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336:French Foreign Legion
991:Tan Son Nhut Airport
987:B-29 Superfortresses
926:), former U.S. Navy
587:2nd Armored Division
567:Liberation of France
495:Sub-Saharan Africans
438:223,467 French from
154:1945 – 26 April 1956
40:improve this article
1076:First Indochina War
924:Civil Air Transport
820:Commander: General
793:Commander: General
730:Jean Etienne Valluy
662:would merge as the
622:First Indochina War
440:metropolitan France
317:First Indochina War
311:in 1945 during the
301:expeditionary force
251:Jean Étienne Valluy
222:First Indochina War
197:Expeditionary Force
1293:2007-09-28 at the
1249:2011-07-13 at the
1149:2007-09-29 at the
1015:322nd Air Division
1011:C-124 Globemasters
979:Far East Air Force
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686:Dissolution (1956)
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548:Free French Forces
520:Pacific War (1945)
376:
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1022:Notable personnel
974:on May 1, 1954).
742:Marcel Carpentier
680:Geneva Agreements
676:guerrilla warfare
583:Empire of Vietnam
565:. After the 1944
540:Gabriel Sabattier
305:French Union Army
299:) was a colonial
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261:Marcel Carpentier
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1167:. Archived from
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962:PB4Y2 Privateers
950:Groupe de Chasse
938:SB-2C Helldivers
666:. The communist
664:State of Vietnam
628:French Indochina
601:) on August 15.
569:and the fall of
309:French Indochina
246:Philippe Leclerc
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1003:Clark Air Base
993:in a discreet
900:B-26 Marauders
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920:C-119 Packets
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96:February 2013
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57: –
56:
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51:Find sources:
45:
41:
35:
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29:This article
27:
23:
18:
17:
1211:
1173:. Retrieved
1169:the original
1158:
1142:
1137:
1115:
1106:
1100:
1081:French Union
999:
976:
971:Belleau Wood
970:
966:F4U Corsairs
957:
953:
941:
932:
928:F6F Hellcats
916:C-47 Dakotas
903:
897:
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854:Commanders:
846:
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689:
625:
598:
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571:Nazi Germany
543:
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401:French Union
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370:Soldiers of
343:
340:Metropolitan
332:French Union
325:
319:against the
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102:
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69:
62:
50:
38:Please help
33:verification
30:
1288:CEFEO train
1285:(in French)
1277:(in French)
1269:(in French)
1261:(in French)
942:Arromanches
933:Arromanches
754:Raoul Salan
672:Ho Chi Minh
648:Cochinchina
575:Axis powers
561:during the
422:and 60,340
397:tirailleurs
379:Composition
328:tirailleurs
313:Pacific War
266:Raoul Salan
218:Engagements
188:French Army
143:French Navy
1304:Categories
1175:2010-01-02
1092:References
1046:Jean Sassi
822:René Cogny
710:Commanders
563:March coup
506:Korean War
480:Ukrainians
472:Hungarians
409:Madagascar
235:commanders
228:Commanders
177:Allegiance
66:newspapers
1013:from the
1007:Vientiane
983:"Vulture"
958:Languedoc
954:Saintonge
860:(1946–47)
774:(1955–56)
768:(1954–55)
762:(1953–54)
756:(1952–53)
750:(1950–51)
744:(1949–50)
738:(1948–49)
732:(1946–48)
726:(1945–46)
668:Viet Minh
591:2ème D.B.
484:Georgians
468:Spaniards
454:Moroccans
450:Tunisians
446:Algerians
399:from the
330:from the
321:Viet Minh
210:Equipment
1291:Archived
1247:Archived
1147:Archived
1070:See also
1036:(6e BPC)
1030:(10e DP)
841:(6 RG).
766:Paul Ély
700:Cambodia
636:Cambodia
609:Colonial
556:Japanese
464:Italians
444:122,920
362:in 1952.
360:FM 24/29
323:rebels.
904:Tunisie
894:, FAEO)
880:, DNEO)
849:, FMEO)
833:, FTSV)
815:, FTNV)
806:, FTEO)
788:, GONO)
692:Vietnam
670:led by
510:Incheon
493:60,340
460:Germans
405:Maghreb
374:c.1954.
350:History
303:of the
233:Notable
159:Country
80:scholar
1218:
1048:(GCMA)
1042:(GCMA)
866:(1947)
824:(1954)
797:(1954)
656:Saigon
640:Tonkin
552:C.L.I.
546:) and
488:Czechs
289:French
171:France
168:
151:Active
82:
75:
68:
61:
53:
1120:2005.
1060:(SPI)
1054:(SCA)
644:Annam
476:Poles
344:CEFEO
297:CEFEO
87:JSTOR
73:books
1216:ISBN
995:B-17
698:and
696:Laos
632:Laos
452:and
387:and
283:The
202:Size
194:Type
59:news
42:by
1306::
1184:^
1125:^
960:,
914:,
910:,
906:,
706:.
694:,
682:.
638:,
634:,
486:,
482:,
478:,
474:,
470:,
466:,
462:,
448:,
385:3d
295:,
291::
1224:.
1178:.
589:(
534:(
287:(
109:)
103:(
98:)
94:(
84:·
77:·
70:·
63:·
36:.
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