732 Chapter 6
was heavily influenced by China. China’s preeminence had been slipping through
the 19th century with the decline of the Qing Dynasty, allowing European powers
and Japan to make moves on areas where China had previously been preeminent (for
example, in Korea).
Fighting started at the extra-state level as early as 1882, pitting France against the
Black Flag army of Vietnam. The fighting assumed an interstate dimension when the
Chinese military took arms along with the Black Flags, aware that the French would
eventually overwhelm them if the Chinese did not act. Further, China acted under the
faulty assumption that France would not commit to the war and that the joint forces
with the Vietnamese would be sufficient. There was no declaration of war, but the first
major battle was the Bac Le ambush in June 1884.
China’s optimism was not entirely borne out, though their contribution was able
to change the course of what would have been certain disaster for the Vietnamese.
Nowhere was this more pronounced than the Battle at Bang Bo, prompting French
retreat. This was an embarrassment for the French, but the Chinese victory here was
pyrrhic. They had to exhaust available personnel to drive back the French, limiting
themselves should a conflict against expanding Japan be on the horizon. France sued
for peace following battles in March 1885, and China welcomed negotiations.
The Treaty of Tientsin on June 9, 1885, ended the war. The war was mostly a stale-
mate, but the treaty that concluded the war gave France most of what it desired. China
essentially gave the French a free pass to do what it wanted to Annam and Tonkin,
provided Tonkin was the farthest north the French would push. Importantly, France
had to evacuate Formosa and the Pescadores within a month of the treaty’s signature.
This was unfortunate for the French because they had much better success in Formosa
than Tonkin. The treaty was also a setback in another French desire to establish pre-
eminence on the island.
Coding changes: Settlement changed from Imposed.
MID#379
Dispute Number: 379
Date(s): March 17, 1898 to April 10, 1898
Participants: 220 France/710 China
Outcome (and Settlement): Victory for side A (Imposed)
Fatalities: None
Narrative: The French demanded territorial concessions in the south of China (near
then-Indochina) in light of Russian inquiries into Port Arthur and the grant of the
Kowloon hinterland to the English. The demands for territorial and railway conces-
sions were made on March 17, 1898, and were responded to by the Chinese with a
quick refusal. The Chinese were notified by the French that “no” was not an accept-
able answer. The Chinese eventually yielded, with the delay due to the Chinese simul-
taneously having to deal with Russian encroachments on Port Arthur. The countries
signed a few protocols on April 10. These had the effect of leasing to France the rights
to a railway stretching from Tongking to Yun-nan-fu. France also received a 99-year
lease to Kuang-chou-wan.