Biographical Article (The roots of French Indochina)
Emperor Gia Long, who was originally Nguyen Phuc Anh was the founding emperor of the Nguyen dynasty. The Nguyen dynasty was the last dynasty in Vietnam before it was conquered by France. Emperor Gia Long won the kingdom of Vietnam with the help of Pigneau de Behaine, a french priest who had assisted Gia Long by recruiting armies for Gia Long to use against the Tay Son dynasty in Vietnam. Gia Long sent his son along with Figneau to France to plead for assistance of the French King, who signed the Treaty of Versailles that granted exclusive trading rights to the French in exchange for assistance for regaining the throne. As Anh fervently retook the land he reformed the agricultural aspects of Indochina as it was raided during the Tay Son rebellions. After Gia Long regained his throne, he then repealed the Tay Son reforms, allowed the activities of Roman Catholic missionaries. He did not like the religion and Isolated Vietnam from Europe during his reign. During the war the French had brought weapons and technology that was used during the war, but he had not further utilized anything else the French had to offer after the war. However had repaired highways and created granaries to prevent famines. With all this even, he had not promoted any sort of scientific progress in the country and did not use the important resources and technology that Europe could have granted him. As the treaty of Versailles was signed, that marked the beginning of French control in Indochina. It all began with the treaty planned out by Nguyen Phuc Anh and Pigneau de Behaine. Anh also used French teachings to improve the internal defense of Vietnam. French’s assistance benefited French Indochina during the early years of French’s influence in French Indochina. Thus Vietnam gained military dominance in Indochina which in turn granted the French a powerful influence in Indochina during the war. However, after he died his successor, Minh Mang nearly destroyed the French and Vietnamese relations. He persecuted The catholic missionaries later forcing the French to attack Vietnam.
Sources:"Gia Long (emperor of Vietnam)." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 20 Feb. 2013.
Test Question: What began French's conquest for Vietnam?
a. persecuting of priests
b. Emperor Min's unwillingness to have an audience
c. mockery of the faith
d. isolation from Vietnam
Test Question: What began French's conquest for Vietnam?
a. persecuting of priests
b. Emperor Min's unwillingness to have an audience
c. mockery of the faith
d. isolation from Vietnam