▁allowed ▁the ▁Japanese ▁to ▁use ▁Ind och ina ▁as ▁a ▁base ▁from ▁which ▁to ▁attack ▁the ▁Al lies ▁in ▁Mal aya , ▁Bur ma ▁and ▁China . ▁On ▁ 9 ▁March ▁ 1 9 4 5 , ▁the ▁Japanese ▁had ▁de posed ▁the ▁French ▁colonial ▁government , ▁taken ▁direct ▁control ▁of ▁Ind och ina , ▁defeated ▁the ▁French ▁army ▁in ▁several ▁engag ements , ▁and ▁imprison ed ▁surv iving ▁French ▁soldiers . ▁ ▁With ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁war , ▁Ind och ina ▁was ▁divided ▁in ▁two , ▁with ▁the ▁area ▁north ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 6 th ▁parallel ▁occupied ▁by ▁ 1 5 0 , 0 0 0 ▁National ist ▁Chinese ▁troops , ▁while ▁the ▁part ▁to ▁the ▁south ▁was ▁occupied ▁by ▁ 2 0 , 0 0 0 ▁British ▁and ▁Indian ▁troops ▁of ▁Major ▁General ▁Douglas ▁Grace y ' s ▁ 2 0 th ▁Infantry ▁Division . ▁Meanwhile , ▁the ▁Vietnam ese ▁national ist ▁leader ▁Ho ▁Chi ▁Min h ▁had ▁declared ▁Vietnam ese ▁independence . ▁L ec ler c ▁arrived ▁in ▁Sa ig on ▁with ▁a ▁first ▁cont ing ent ▁of ▁French ▁soldiers ▁on ▁ 5 ▁October ▁ 1 9 4 5 . ▁He ▁was ▁dependent ▁on ▁the ▁British ▁for ▁equipment ▁and ▁sh ipping . ▁He ▁did ▁not ▁get ▁along ▁well ▁with ▁D ' Ar gen lie u , ▁whom ▁de ▁Ga ulle ▁had ▁appointed ▁French ▁High ▁Commission er ▁for ▁Ind och ina . ▁ ▁L ec ler c ▁he eded ▁the ▁advice ▁he ▁was ▁given ▁by ▁United ▁States ▁General ▁of