Here are five facts about the French going to Indochina:
The French began their colonization of Indochina in the late 19th century. In 1887, the French merged the three Vietnamese regions of Tonkin, Annam, and Cochin China with Cambodia and Laos to form the colony of French Indochina.
The French viewed Indochina as a source of raw materials and a potential market for French goods. They developed the region's infrastructure, built railroads and other transportation networks, and established plantations for rubber, tea, and other crops.
The French also imposed their culture and language on the Indochinese people. French became the official language of Indochina, and the French introduced Western education, medicine, and technology.
The French faced opposition from the Indochinese people, who resented the colonial rule and the exploitation of their resources. In the early 20th century, Vietnamese nationalists founded the Indochinese Communist Party, which sought to unite the Indochinese people against the French.
The French continued to rule Indochina until the mid-20th century, when they were defeated by Vietnamese nationalist forces in the First Indochina War (1946-1954). This led to the division of Vietnam into North and South, and ultimately to the Vietnam War (1955-1975). The French withdrawal from Indochina marked the end of their colonial empire, and the beginning of the era of decolonization in Asia and Africa.