French Indochina

Definition

The area comprising Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia that was colonized by France in the late 19th century. It became a battleground during World War II as Japan sought to establish control over the region.

Analogy

Think of French Indochina as a house owned by France but with multiple rooms representing Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. When Japan invaded French Indochina, it was like an uninvited guest barging into the house and trying to take over those individual rooms.

Related terms

Ho Chi Minh: A Vietnamese communist revolutionary who led resistance against both French colonial rule and later against South Vietnam supported by the United States.

Viet Minh: A political organization established by Ho Chi Minh that fought for Vietnamese independence from French rule.

First Indochina War: A conflict between Viet Minh forces (supported by other nationalist groups) fighting for independence against French colonial forces from 1946 to 1954.