General information Indochina
INDOCHINA , originally Indo - China, or In French " Union Indochinoise" is a Penisula of South East Asia, this " terminology" refers to a land under the cultural influence from China and India. In the past, those kingdoms Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia got very much the influence from their big neibouring countries.
Hanoi Opera House today which was built by the French in 1911
When Vietnam Kingdom lost the power in 19th Century, the French attacked the Central city of Vietnam, Danang in 1858. At that time, the Royal Family of Nguyen in Vietnam could not depend their kingdom, due to very weak army. The French started to build a new French Colonial system in South Vietnam and Saigon was the head of the South.
The 4th King of Nguyen Dynasty, Tu Duc, died in 1883, was a bad change in Vietnam monarchy, the French took advantage of this chance to control all other places, and captured Hanoi. This event was a historical landmark of Vietnam History which the last dynasty of Vietnam fell, and became a new puppet regime under French control.
The Palace for General Indochina Governor, built in 1901 in Hanoi, still remains originally today.
The French Colony built 5 regions in these countries with the important head quarters: North Vietnam, Central Vietnam, South Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos. All these states were ruled by a French General Governer, he was the comander in chief of the Indochina Army , and the Colonial gorvenment was ruled by boh French Colony System and the Local Puppet Gorvenment.
Cambodia was colonized and acepted the French Protectorate in Oct 1887, Laos in Oct 1893.
When the colony began in Indochina from 1860 to 1945, many big infrastutures were built in different states..such as Main offices, Opera houses, Villas for French Leaders & Officers, Churches, Post Offices, Shipping Docks, Railway Lines, Schools...
Year | Indochina's Population |
1921 | 18,000,000 |
1926 | 20,500,000 |
1931 | 21,450,000 |
1936 | 23.030,000 |
1943 | 25,000,000 |
In 1940, The Japanese came to take over Indochina, but stayed until 1945, and left in 1945 when Japan failed in the Second World War.
The French sent more army back to Vietnam, and rebuilt the colonial power. After the fall of Indochina War in 1954 led by Vietnam Communists , The French stayed until 1956.