French conquest of Vietnam

Sides

Countries today: China, Philippines, Spain, and Vietnam

What happened

In September 1858 a French and Spanish fleet under Admiral Rigault de Genouilly attacked Tourane (Da Nang), citing the execution of Catholic missionaries under Emperor Tự Đức. Held near the coast by Nguyễn Tri Phương's army, the expedition sailed south and took Saigon in February 1859. Spain's troops came from Manila, many of them Filipino; Spain took a share of the indemnity but no land. In the Treaty of Saigon of June 1862 the Nguyễn court ceded three southern provinces, and French troops took the other three in 1867, forming the colony of Cochinchina. In the north, Francis Garnier seized Hanoi's citadel in 1873 and Henri Rivière in 1882; Black Flag Army troops killed both. In August 1883 French warships shelled Thuận An near Huế, and treaties in 1883 and 1884 made Annam and Tonkin French protectorates. Qing armies fought the French in Tonkin until the Treaty of Tientsin of June 1885. A month later the regent Tôn Thất Thuyết attacked the French at Huế and took the boy emperor Hàm Nghi into the hills, starting the Cần Vương resistance.

Outcome: By 1885 France ruled all of Vietnam: Cochinchina as a colony, Annam and Tonkin as protectorates; in the Treaty of Tientsin the Qing recognised the French protectorate.

Key events

Leaders

• Charles Rigault de Genouilly · Admiral; led the Franco-Spanish expedition, 1858–1859 · France, with Spain (1858–1862) and local auxiliaries
• Carlos Palanca Gutiérrez · Commander of the Spanish contingent · France, with Spain (1858–1862) and local auxiliaries
• Léonard Charner · Admiral; broke the siege of Saigon, 1861 · France, with Spain (1858–1862) and local auxiliaries
• Louis Adolphe Bonard · Admiral; signed the Treaty of Saigon, 1862 · France, with Spain (1858–1862) and local auxiliaries
• Pierre-Paul de La Grandière · Admiral and governor of Cochinchina; took the western provinces, 1867 · France, with Spain (1858–1862) and local auxiliaries
• Francis Garnier · Naval officer; seized Hanoi in 1873 · France, with Spain (1858–1862) and local auxiliaries
• Henri Rivière · Naval officer; seized Hanoi in 1882 · France, with Spain (1858–1862) and local auxiliaries
• Amédée Courbet · Admiral; Thuận An and Sơn Tây, 1883 · France, with Spain (1858–1862) and local auxiliaries
• Louis Brière de l'Isle · General commanding in Tonkin from 1884 · France, with Spain (1858–1862) and local auxiliaries
• François de Négrier · General; led the brigade at Lạng Sơn and Zhennan Pass · France, with Spain (1858–1862) and local auxiliaries
• Tự Đức · Emperor of Đại Nam, 1847–1883 · Đại Nam (Nguyễn dynasty), the Black Flag Army and Qing China
• Nguyễn Tri Phương · Commander at Tourane and Saigon; died after the fall of Hanoi, 1873 · Đại Nam (Nguyễn dynasty), the Black Flag Army and Qing China
• Phan Thanh Giản · Minister; signed the 1862 treaty and governed the western provinces · Đại Nam (Nguyễn dynasty), the Black Flag Army and Qing China
• Hoàng Kế Viêm · Prince and commander in Tonkin; called in the Black Flags · Đại Nam (Nguyễn dynasty), the Black Flag Army and Qing China
• Tôn Thất Thuyết · Regent; attacked the French at Huế in 1885 · Đại Nam (Nguyễn dynasty), the Black Flag Army and Qing China
• Hàm Nghi · Emperor from 1884; the Cần Vương edict was issued in his name · Đại Nam (Nguyễn dynasty), the Black Flag Army and Qing China
• Liu Yongfu · Leader of the Black Flag Army · Đại Nam (Nguyễn dynasty), the Black Flag Army and Qing China
• Pan Dingxin · Governor of Guangxi; commanded the Guangxi Army · Đại Nam (Nguyễn dynasty), the Black Flag Army and Qing China
• Tang Jingsong · Commanded Yunnan troops at the siege of Tuyên Quang · Đại Nam (Nguyễn dynasty), the Black Flag Army and Qing China
• Feng Zicai · Commander at Zhennan Pass, 1885 · Đại Nam (Nguyễn dynasty), the Black Flag Army and Qing China

Cultures it ended or changed

• Qing dynasty