 Bảo Đại was appointed the "supreme advisor" to Hồ's Democratic Republic of Vietnam in Hanoi, which asserted its independence on 2 September 1945, but was ousted by the French in November 1946.As Vietnam descended into armed conflict – rival factions clashed with each other and also with the remaining French – Bảo Đại left Vietnam after nearly a year as Supreme Advisor to Ho Chi Minh's Government, living in both Hong Kong and China.The French persuaded him to return in 1949 to serve as "head of state" ("quốc trưởng"), not as "emperor" (Hoàng Đế).