Following the Japanese surrender, France was quick to return to its colonies in South-east Asia. By the autumn of 1945, French colonial administration had been restored to Indochina, comprising Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. However, back in 1940, things had changed. A Vietnamese liberation movement, led by Ho Chi Minh, had declared Vietnam's independence on 2 September. A guerrilla war between Viet Minh and French forces soon erupted, lasting until 1954 and resulting in the defeat and withdrawal of French forces from Indochina.The first Armee de l'Air units to reach the theatre were two fighter squadrons, Groupes de Chasse Ⅰ/7 and Ⅱ/7. With pilots and groundcrews arriving ahead of the aircraft, surrendered Japanese aeroplanes including Nakajima Ki-43 'Oscar' fighters were pressed into service. A few transports, including several Tachikawa Ki-54s and one Showa L2D3, a licence-built Douglas DC-3, saw brief use, but were soon withdrawn due to their generally poor condition and lack of spares. The answer came in the shape of an even older design.
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