In 1939, the French Government perceived the Japanese to be an imminent threat to its Asian colony, French Indochina and sent retired four star general Georges Catroux to develop a military presence capable of defending the colony from the Imperial Japanese Army. General Catroux determined that the colony was woefully ill-prepared to defend itself and appealed to his own government and the British for help. His appeals were denied by both countries which were now involved in World War II. The United States reluctantly agreed to sell military equipment and munitions to French Indochina for cash. Legend has it that Catroux raided the treasuries of Indochina. Before the purchase could be consummated, France fell to the Germans. No friend of the Vichy Government, General Catroux hid the gold and left Indochina. In this story, its location remained a mystery until two grunts, by serendipity, discovered the gold during the U.S. involvement in Vietnam.