Sino-French War

The Sino-French War, also called the Tonkin War, was a conflict from 1884 to 1885.

It involved the French Third Republic and the Qing dynasty of China. The main cause was a struggle for influence over Vietnam. France wanted to expand its colonial presence in the region. China wanted to protect its traditional influence over Vietnam. The war was unique because neither side officially declared war at the start.

French interest in northern Vietnam began in the late 18th century. A priest named Pigneau de Behaine helped the Nguyễn dynasty gain power. This was an attempt to gain privileges for France and the Catholic Church. By 1862, France had formed a colony called Cochinchina in southern Vietnam.

French explorers later studied the Red River. They hoped it could be a trade route into China. This route would bypass the established treaty ports on the Chinese coast. However, the Black Flag Army blocked this path. Led by Liu Yongfu, this private army taxed trade between Sơn Tây and Lào Cai.

Conflict grew as French officers took independent actions. In 1873, Francis Garnier attacked northern Vietnam. He was later defeated by the Black Flag Army. In 1882, Commandant Henri Rivière sent a force to Hanoi.

He captured the Hanoi citadel despite orders from his superiors. This action alarmed the Vietnamese and the Chinese. The Vietnamese government requested help from the Qing court. China responded by sending regular armies to occupy northern Vietnamese towns. These troops took control of places like Lạng Sơn and Sơn Tây.

Violence increased during the summer of 1883. Rivière captured the citadel of Nam Định with 520 soldiers. Shortly after, he led a force of 450 men to the Battle of Paper Bridge.

This was a disastrous defeat for the French. The Black Flag Army enveloped the French forces. Rivière and several senior officers were killed in this battle. This event caused great anger in France. The French government decided to back colonial expansion more strongly. Jules Ferry became Prime Minister and supported the military response.

Admiral Amédée Courbet took command of the naval forces.

In August 1883, he attacked forts near Huế. This led to the Treaty of Huế, which put Tonkin under French protection. The French also fought the Black Flags in several battles. However, they could not capture all of Liu Yongfu's positions. The French prepared for a major offensive to destroy the Black Flags. They also tried to get other European powers to support them. At the same time, tension in China led to anti-foreign protests in Guangzhou.

The Sơn Tây Campaign in December 1883 was very intense.

Courbet led the attack against the city. The Black Flags fought fiercely to hold the location. On December 14, the French attacked the outer defenses at Phù Sa. They were initially pushed back with heavy casualties. After a day of rest, the French attacked again on December 16. They used artillery to wear down the defenders. A battalion of the Foreign Legion eventually captured the western gate.

The French took the town, but they lost 83 men and 320 were wounded.

The war ended through negotiations rather than a total military conquest.

China faced pressure from Russia and Japan. France faced political instability at home. The two nations signed the Treaty of Tientsin. China ceded its influence over Northern and Central Vietnam to France. These areas became the protectorates of Tonkin and Annam. The war strengthened Empress Dowager Cixi in China. In France, the conflict caused the government of Jules Ferry to collapse. The war changed the political map of Southeast Asia for many years.