The Sino-French War

(1883-85)

Not content with establishing Cochin China in South Vietnam, the French continued to expand northwards:  setting their sights on using Vietnam as a jumping-off point for a possible invasion of China.

In the early 1880’s, the French stationed troops in Hanoi and Hue, brushing aside any resistance with ease.  In 1883, they then forced the Vietnamese to declare the Annam (central Vietnam) and Tonkin provinces (north Vietnam) French protectorates, and set about consolidating their hold on the country.  The Vietnamese Emperor, in desperation, appealed to his former masters in China, who sent troops to garrison north Vietnam.

The French quickly defeated these Chinese reinforcements and, for a time, it looked as if the Chinese would sue for peace.  However, the ‘war-party’ in the Chinese court became dominant before any treaty could be agreed, and hostilities continued.

In early 1885, French forces attempted to advance into southern China, but were heavily defeated by a combined Chinese/Vietnamese army at Liangshan in northern Vietnam.  This defeat led to the fall of the French cabinet, but the French retaliated by attacking Keelung in Taiwan; occupying the Pescadores Islands; blockading the port of Foochow, and there destroying the Chinese navy (11 Chinese steamers being sunk).

The Chinese sued for peace and, on June 9^th 1885, the Treaty of Tientsin recognised France’s rights over the twin protectorates of Annam and Tonkin, although the French had to put down serious revolts (the “Scholars Revolt”) until around 1889.

The French established the Indochinese Union in 1887, consisting of Kampuchea; Cochin China;  Annam;  Tonkin;  and Laos.

BACK