Establishment After defeating the Vietnamese
Nguyễn dynasty, the French colonised
Southern Vietnam including
Saigon in 1862 and 1867. Their sovereignty over here was recognized by the Vietnamese in
1874. Central and Northern Vietnam later became the
French protectorates of Annam and Tonkin and French influence in the Indochina Peninsula strengthened. However unlike Cochinchina, these two territories were still parts of Vietnam legally. During the
Sino-French War (1884–85), the northernmost part of Vietnam,
Tonkin (then considered a crucial foothold in Southeast Asia and a key to the Chinese market), was
invaded by the French. After the
Treaty of Huế (1883) with Vietnam and the
Treaty of Tientsin (1885) with the Chinese
Qing dynasty, all of Vietnam was governed by the French. During the French colonial administration, Vietnam was administratively divided into three different territories: Tonkin (in the north),
Annam (in the centre), and the colony of
Cochinchina (in the south). These territories were fairly arbitrary in their geographic extent as the vast majority of the Vietnamese regarded their country as a single land and minor resistance to French rule continued over the next 70 years to achieve an independent state. Annam and Tonkin were originally a single entity, the
Résidence supérieure of Annam-Tonkin. On June 3, 1886, the Nguyễn emperor
Đồng Khánh delegated all of his powers in Tonkin to a
Kinh lược sứ (, equivalent of
Viceroy), who acted under French supervision. On May 9, 1889, the Résidence supérieure of Annam-Tonkin was abolished, with
Annam and Tonkin being separated in two Résidences supérieures, each subordinated to the governor-general of
French Indochina. On July 26, 1897, Governor-General
Paul Doumer had Emperor
Thành Thái abolish the post of
Kinh lược sứ.The
Nguyễn dynasty still nominally reigned over Tonkin; it was now
de facto under direct French rule. During French rule,
Hanoi was made capital of Tonkin and, in 1901, of the whole
French Indochina. Cities in Tonkin saw significant infrastructure and economic development under the French, such as the development of the port of
Haiphong and construction of the
Trans-Indochinois Railway linking Hanoi to Saigon. Under French economic plans, mines yielding gold, silver, and tin as well as the farming of rice, corn, and tea powered Tonkin's economy. The imports included rice, iron goods, flour, wine,
opium and cotton goods. Industrialization later led to the opening of factories producing textiles and
ceramics for export throughout the French Empire. French cultural influence on Tonkin was also significant as French became the primary language of education, government, trade and media and heavy
Catholic missionary activity resulted in almost 10% of the population identifying as Catholic by the 1940s. Prominent buildings in Hanoi were also constructed during the period of French rule, such as the
Hanoi Opera House and the
Hanoi University of Technology.
World War II French colonial administration lasted until March 9, 1945, during Japanese occupation (1941–1945). Although French administration was allowed during Japanese occupation as a puppet government, Japan briefly took full control of Vietnam in March 1945 under the
Empire of Vietnam and Tonkin became the site of the
Vietnamese Famine of 1945 during this period. At the end of the war, the north of Vietnam (including Tonkin) saw a sphere of influence by China while the south was briefly occupied by the British for French forces to regroup and regain control.
Harry Truman at the
Potsdam Conference, stated an intention to hand the region back to French rule, a sharp contrast to
Franklin D. Roosevelt's strong opposition to colonialism and commitment to support the Viet Minh. However, after the Japanese withdrew from Vietnam,
Ho Chi Minh proclaimed the establishment of the
Democratic Republic of Vietnam in
Ba Đình Square. Hanoi was later
reoccupied by the French and conflict between the
Viet Minh and France broke out into the
First Indochina War.
End As the French sought to establish a coherent government in Vietnam as an alternative to
Ho Chi Minh, Tonkin was merged in 1948 into the
Provisional Central Government of Vietnam, which was replaced the next year by the
State of Vietnam, following the reunification with Cochinchina. After the French defeat at the
Battle of Dien Bien Phu in Western Tonkin in 1954, the Communist state of
North Vietnam was formed, consisting of Tonkin and northern Annam. == Administration ==