In this role he was responsible for policy in French Indochina (Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos) against the communist movements in those countries.

From 1934 until the eve of World War II he contributed articles on international politics to the Petit Démocrate, La Croix and L'Aube.

[1] After the Liberation of France he was a member of the provisional government from September 1944 to November 1945 as director-general of the Press in the Ministry of Information.

He also became a director of the new Christian democratic party, the Mouvement républicain populaire (MRP, Popular Republican Movement).

[4] On 27 January 1946 Letourneau was appointed Minister of Posts, Telegraphs and Telephones in the Cabinet of Félix Gouin.

[3] Letourneau was president of the French Delegation to the United Nations conference on the Freedom of the Press and of Information from 23 March to 3 April 1948.

[2] During Letourneau's term of office the French were faced with an armed struggle for independence in the Indochina colonies during the Cold War period, which had intensified after the People's Republic of China was created in October 1949.

He also thought that the colonial empire, the French Union, was key to the international status and economic health of France.

[1] His objectives were to maintain French influence in Indochina while allowing some political and military independence, but to prevent the communist guerrillas from taking power.

Letourneau became high commissioner, while remaining Minister for the Associated States, and General Raoul Salan became commander in chief.

[6] On 27 April 1953 Letourneau became commissioner-general, giving him huge power in defining the policy of France in Indochina.

The Americans were not impressed, and backed the more aggressive plan proposed by General Henri Navarre, the new military commander.

He no longer held political office after 1963, but continued to participate in the Christian Democratic movement through associations and published articles.

[6] He wrote many articles for local and national papers, and talked in broadcasts about Indochina and the French colonial problem in general.