Introduction 

After the August Revolution of 1945, there were many revenge attacks by the Vietnamese against the French, mainly occurring in South Vietnam and Saigon.

This revenge is both inconsistent with the humanitarian traditions of our Vietnamese people and causes difficulties for negotiations between Vietnam and France on ensuring long-term peace for Vietnam.

For that reason, President Ho Chi Minh had to write this letter, SENT TO THE COMMUNISTS OF THE SOUTH, to call on the extremists in the South to exercise self-restraint and not take revenge on the French who were defeated and captured during the war by the Vietnamese army Viet Minh.

We must treat them leniently and humanly, is the most important message of President Ho Chi Minh in this letter.

“Hey Southern people!

As soon as our country fought for independence, it encountered foreign invasion. When there was a war with Japan, the French colonialists either surrendered or fled.

Now that the war has ended, the French colonialists are either secretly or openly coming back to our country.

In 4 years, they sold our country twice.

Now they want to dominate our people again.

I and my compatriots all over the country are sure of the patriotic determination of the Southern people. We should remember the heroic words of the great French revolutionary:

“It is better to die free than to live as a slave.”

I am sure, and the people of the South are also sure, that the Government and the entire country will do their best to help the soldiers and people who are currently sacrificing their lives fighting to maintain the independence of our country.

I am sure and all my compatriots are sure that people and peoples who love equality and freedom in the world agree with us.

We are certain to win because we have the united force of the entire nation.

We are certain to win because our struggle is just.

I just want to tell our Southern compatriots one word: “For the French people captured during the war, we must guard carefully, but we must treat them leniently, humanly.

We must do something for the world first and foremost. And we let the French people know that: we are righteous and justice.

We only demand independence and freedom,

not because of personal hatred, let the world know that we are a civilized and cultured nation, smarter than those who kill people and steal our country.”

Long live independent Vietnam.

Long live the people of the Southern Vietnam”.

Hanoi, September 26, 1945

HO CHI MINH

Ho Chi Minh: Complete Works,

volume 4, p. 27-28.