French Colonial Period (1858–1954)
In 1858, French troops invaded Đà Nẵng and began the colonization of Vietnam. By 1887, all of Indochina (Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia) was under French control. Vietnam was divided into three parts: Tonkin (north), Annam (center), Cochinchina (south).
What the French Left Behind
The colonial legacy is still visible today:
- Architecture: Colonial buildings in Hanoi (Opera House, Main Post Office), HCMC (Notre-Dame, City Hall), Đà Lạt (villas). Many are now used as hotels and museums.
- Food: The Bánh Mì (baguette) and coffee — both introduced by the French, perfected by the Vietnamese.
- Language: Numerous French loanwords in Vietnamese (phô mai = fromage = cheese).
- Script: The Latin script (Chữ Quốc Ngữ) replaced Chinese characters — ironically a French missionary invention that gave Vietnam the highest literacy rate in Southeast Asia.
Resistance
Resistance against the French was relentless. Hồ Chí Minh (1890–1969) became a key figure: He founded the Việt Minh in 1941, and on September 2, 1945 — after Japan's surrender in World War II — he declared Vietnam's independence on Ba-Đình Square in Hanoi. His speech began with the words of the American Declaration of Independence: "All men are created equal..."
But France wanted its colony back. The First Indochina War (1946–1954) ended with the devastating French defeat at Điện Biên Phủ on May 7, 1954 — one of the most significant battles of the 20th century, sealing the end of the French colonial empire in Asia.
