already now in the spring of 1947, Mus had drawn three major conclusions: that Ho was the undisputed leader of the Viet Minh; that Ho had an almost serene confidence in the Viet Minh’s revolutionary program; and that this program had already accomplished an enormous amount in the countryside through which Mus was passing. French forces might be able to reoccupy these regions, the Frenchman reasoned, but they could never achieve lasting control over them. Why? Because France had already lost the battle that counted most: the battle for the support of the local population.
