The civil guard for Cochinchina was first created on 19 September 1909 in charge of maintaining internal security in the southern colony. It played an important role in smashing the communist revolt in Cochinchina in 1940. In 1944, the French rebaptized it the Garde civile indochinoise and increased its size and personnel. The Japanese, however, disbanded it in March 1945 when they overthrew the French in Indochina. Upon returning to southern Indochina, General Jean Valluy reconstituted it in late August or October 1946 in order to ensure local security while the Expeditionary Corps concentrated on more pressing military matters. In March 1947, it officially became the Garde républicaine cochinchinoise and was attached to the Provisional Government of the Republic of Cochinchina. With the failure of Cochinchinese autonomy and the unification of Vietnam under Bao Dai from June 1948, it was increasingly nationalized and renamed the Garde du Viet Nam Sud (Doi Thanh Ve Binh Nam Viet). The name changed yet again in April 1949 to become the Vietnamese Republican National Guard (Ve Binh Quoc Gia Viet Nam). Until 1949, European officers mainly commanded the 8,000 to 10,000 man strong civil guard. See also ARMY, ASSOCIATED STATE OF VIETNAM; PEOPLE’S ARMY OF VIETNAM.