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The First Strike
On September 1858, the French took their first strike at a city nowadays known as Da Nang. 14 French gunships, 3,000 men, and 300 Filipino troops attacked under the command of French admiral, Charles Rigault de Genouilly. This attack resulted in a large amount of damage and the French occupation of the whole city. Ultimately this event led to the one of the most historical events that has ever happened in Laos, a colonization. -
Addion of Laos to French Colonial Period
The French officially won Laos in the end of the Franco-Siamese War. Present day Laos was part of the Kingdom of Siam, later renamed to Thailand. When the Siamese were defeated, Laos was signed over to the French and a major step in compaign for expansion in Indochina. Exports of Laos mainly included opium produced by Hmong groups. -
Treaty of March 23
On March 27 of 1907, the Treaty of March 23rd was signed. This was an update in the agreement between the French and British to define borders between both empires. With this treaty the French gained territorial control of areas east and west of the Mekong River. Even though the French terrirories had been expanding, this event stands out because the Mekong River was a major body of water in Indochina that ran from China, through Burma, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. -
Laotian Rebellion
Lao revolted against French Colonial Administration because of overtaxation in a war called War of the Insane. The revolt was led by Pa Chay Vue, a Hmong opium producer. He is regarded as a crazed man since he climbed trees to reviece order from heaven but ultimately considered a hero by Lao nationalists. The war spanned from 1918 to 1921 and resulted with the French promising to leave the Hmong suppliers of opium alone. -
Japanese Invasion of Laos
Japanese invaded Laos near the end of WWII in 1941. During the Japanese occupation, French officials were imprisoned. The remaining French people who weren't imprisoned hid in the mountains and joined forces with Laotian insurgents. For the rest of the Japanese occupation, Laotian and French forces joined together to carried out attacks against Japanese officials and troops. -
French Recolonization of Laos
Towards the end of WWII Japan was suffering great loss and retreated from Indochina. In the short time between the Japanese retreat and French reoccupation, the Lao Issara (Free Laos), anti-French and nationalist group by Prince Phetsarath Ratanavongsa was formed. They joined forces with Viet Minh and attempted to convince the king to kick the French out because they had been unsuccessful to protect Laos form the Japanese. -
Start of First Indochina War
The First Indochina War began on December 9 of 1946 and was fought between the French Union, and the Viet Minh and Pathet Lao. The fighting was mainly between Vietnam and France but bordering countries like Laos and Cambodia got caught up in the war. Laos gained independence before the war ended in August 1, 1954. -
Franco-Lao General Convention
The Franco-Lao General Convention was signed by the French on July 19 of 1949. This treaty declared Laos an independent self-governing state within the French Union. When the French reoccupied Indochina after the Japanese in WWII, Vietnamese forces fought against them. Laotian forces recived support from Vietnamese forces and with more and more Laotians uprising, the French established the Franco-Lao Treaty in attempt to avoid a full out war. -
Franco-Lao Treaty of Amity and Association
This treaty was signed on October 22 of 1953. It declared the Kingdom of Laos as an independent and sovereign state. Although the land was returned, shooting didn't stop until July 20, 1954 when the Agreement on Cessation of Hostilities in Laos was signed and the French retreated from Indochina. -
Marks of the French
Even though the colonization of the French in Indochina was short and and often brutal, they left their marks in the culture. The food, language and architecture were/are influenced by this event. The french were the ones who recognized the beauty of Lung Prabang, an astonishing city located in the north central Laos.
