French river boats in operation. One tows several Vietnamese boats. A group of French soldiers aboard a wooden sail boat that they propel with long poles. The boat moves towards a beach area. The troops get off the boat and wade to the beach. They search the area and seize several Vietnamese prisoners. French troops search areas along the river bank.
Annual opium profits of $15,000,000 in Sui Yuan, Mongolia. Mongolian Monarch and ruler of opium-rich area, General Ma Fuxiang, seated with his family. The multi-millionaire opium king celebrates birthday with his private army maintained to guard a large territory. Mongolian people in an opium field. The poppy seed of the opium flower. A man inspects a poppy flower. A massive wooden water wheel pulling water from a canal and transporting it to a high ramp which runs down to irrigate large poppy fields.
Mauris Moutet, French Overseas Minister, on visit to Indochina to investigate indigenous rebellion, is escorted by Admiral Thierry d'Argenlieu, in review of Naval contingent on grounds of French military headquarters. The Governor's Palace in Saigon.
General Philippe Leclerc de Hauteclocque, Commander of French forces in Indochina, arrives by airplane and is greeted at military air base. He reviews troops arrayed in formation and converses with French Naval officers.
Flags flutter on a building in Laos, French Indochina. Laotian children stand in line with flags in their hands. French Overseas Minister, Marius Moutet, is given a traditional welcome, by residents, who each present him with flowers. Minister Moutet, later visits a Buddhist temple and greets monks, who stand in a line. One of the monks wears French military decorations.
French troops and Chinese Communist forces fight in French Indochina. The Chinese troops walk on a road. Smoke rises in the background. Explosions in the background. Smoke rises due to explosions. The damaged area. A man walks on the road. A woman and children on the road. A tank rolls down on the road. A truck burns. The troops and tanks advance. The trucks drive on the road. Prime Minister of France Pierre Mendes France gets off from an aircraft in Geneva. Dignitaries and officials at the airport as men take pictures.