What if Britain had remained in command in Vietnam with trained and experienced British, Indian and Japanese troops in 1946?
Instead IOTL it was handed back to French control with ill trained and inexperienced French troops. Ironically the small British led forces had militarily beaten the Viet Minh, much as the French eventually militarily defeated the Algerian rebels (although there they had no political end game).
Could the whole saga of ongoing wars in Vietnam have been averted and a gradual hand over to a democratic independent government achieved if Britain had reinforced it's presence?. Perhaps remaining in the Francophone sphere rather than the Communist one?
Just as a minor (and unlikely) POD. Could the British have recruited the Japanese and Indian troops into the British Army? There are many precedents for such an action.
Instead IOTL it was handed back to French control with ill trained and inexperienced French troops. Ironically the small British led forces had militarily beaten the Viet Minh, much as the French eventually militarily defeated the Algerian rebels (although there they had no political end game).
Could the whole saga of ongoing wars in Vietnam have been averted and a gradual hand over to a democratic independent government achieved if Britain had reinforced it's presence?. Perhaps remaining in the Francophone sphere rather than the Communist one?
Just as a minor (and unlikely) POD. Could the British have recruited the Japanese and Indian troops into the British Army? There are many precedents for such an action.