ist ▁Party ▁chose ▁to ▁support ▁French ▁rule ▁in ▁Vietnam . ▁ ▁On ▁ 6 ▁March ▁ 1 9 4 6 , ▁a ▁tent ative ▁agreement ▁was ▁reached ▁at ▁the ▁last ▁minute ▁( with ▁L ec ler c ' s ▁fleet ▁already ▁in ▁the ▁G ulf ▁of ▁Ton kin ) ▁between ▁Sain ten y ▁and ▁Ho . ▁The ▁agreement ▁stated ▁that ▁France ▁would ▁recogn ise ▁Vietnam ▁as ▁a ▁free ▁state ▁within ▁the ▁French ▁Union , ▁a ▁new ▁name ▁for ▁the ▁French ▁emp ire ▁broad ly ▁similar ▁to ▁the ▁British ▁Commonwealth , ▁and ▁that ▁Ho ▁would ▁allow ▁France ▁to ▁base ▁ 2 5 , 0 0 0 ▁soldiers ▁in ▁Vietnam ▁for ▁five ▁years . ▁The ▁Ho - S ain ten y ▁agreement ▁was ▁never ▁confirmed ▁because ▁it ▁disappoint ed ▁people ▁on ▁both ▁sides . ▁Ho ' s ▁immense ▁prest ige ▁largely ▁sil enced ▁Vietnam ese ▁diss ent , ▁but ▁the ▁agreement ▁caused ▁a ▁serious ▁split ▁within ▁the ▁French ▁side . ▁French ▁business men , ▁plan ters , ▁and ▁officials ▁in ▁Sa ig on ▁were ▁" ind ign ant ▁at ▁the ▁prospect ▁of ▁losing ▁their ▁colonial ▁privileges ." ▁ ▁D ' Ar gen lie u ▁bl unt ly ▁den ounced ▁L ec ler c . ▁" I ▁am ▁amaz ed ▁– ▁yes , ▁that ▁is ▁the ▁word , ▁amaz ed ", ▁he ▁said , ▁" that ▁France ' s ▁fine ▁expedition ary ▁corps ▁in ▁Ind och ina ▁is ▁commanded ▁by ▁officers ▁who ▁would ▁rather ▁negoti ate ▁than ▁fight ". ▁D ' Ar gen lie u ▁stated