It's notable that Vietnam had been under
foreign influence or occupation for more than several times. First there were the
Chinese who also heavily influenced the culture and religion in this area. Most historic temples and pagodas in Vietnam look like Chinese ones and many traditions such as food or religious rituals are said to be taken over by the Vietnamese people. At several times in Vietnamese history the Chinese were already driven out of the country. In 1885 though it was decided by Napoleon III to extend his colonial influence in Asia and therefore
France invaded Vietnam in the same year.
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| The Battle of Nam Định in 1883, one of the many colonial battles the Vietnamese fought against the French |
