Lost in the labyrinthine heart of Marseille you find Rue du Tonkin. A seemingly ordinary street its name hints at a rich history far beyond the Provençal sun.
Rue du Tonkin is a quiet reminder of France’s colonial past in Vietnam. The name Tonkin refers to a northern region of Vietnam. It was the scene of the Tonkin Campaign a brutal conflict between France and Vietnam. This lasted from 1883 to 1886. The French fought against Vietnamese forces and also Chinese troops who supported the Vietnamese.
Imagine the boots of French soldiers marching down this very street. Perhaps they were returning from battle weary and wounded. Or perhaps they were setting out fresh faced and full of naive ambition. The Tonkin Campaign was a complex affair marked by fierce fighting. There were also political machinations and ultimately French victory. But the cost was high for both sides. Thousands of soldiers died. Vietnamese civilians suffered immensely as well.
The campaign involved numerous battles. The battles of Phu Hoi Palan and Son Tay were particularly fierce. The fall of Bac Ninh was a significant turning point. The French finally secured their hold on the region. Yet even after the fighting ceased the pacification of Tonkin continued for a decade. This shows just how deeply rooted the conflict was.
The Treaty of Hue formally established the French protectorate over Tonkin and Annam. This treaty however was just a start of years of struggle. French soldiers such as General Bouet Admiral Courbet and General Millot played key roles in the campaign. Their names are etched in the annals of French colonial history. Yet their stories and the stories of countless others are largely unknown.
Today Rue du Tonkin stands as a silent testament. This street silently speaks of the battles fought and the lives lost. It whispers of a distant colonial past. A past whose echoes still reverberate in the present day. Rue du Tonkin is more than just a street in Marseille. It’s a gateway to a forgotten chapter in history. A chapter both brutal and significant. A chapter that should never be forgotten.