Vietnam! The Indochina War, 1945-1954

Le Cherche-Midi, Paris, 2001, 253 pages - ISBN 978-2862748580

Here, Einaudi tackles another often overlooked French colonial conflict: the Indochina War.

The author retraces some of the significant events that punctuated this war from 1945 to 1954, a conflict that deeply marked a generation and a country, just like the Algerian War afterwards.

The human toll is overwhelming: 106,658 officially dead and missing on the French side and associated states, more than a million victims on the Vietnamese side. Beyond the figures, Einaudi analyzes how the French political class was divided over this war, which he bluntly describes as colonial.

The book highlights the scandals, shady dealings, and final defeat at Dien Bien Phu, which sealed France's humiliation. The author examines the mechanisms of colonial warfare, the methods of repression, and the responsibility of the French authorities in this deadly conflict.

By documenting this dark page in French history, Einaudi continues his work of memory and historical truth, demonstrating the continuity of French colonial practices between Indochina and Algeria.