Tonkin campaign

1883 – 1886

Result French victory

French forces fought the Black Flag Army, Vietnamese troops and Qing China in northern Vietnam. France took control of Tonkin, which became a French protectorate.

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Battles 11

March 27, 1883

Capture of Nam Định (1883) French victory Nam Định

March 28, 1883

Battle of Gia Cuc French victory Liu Yongfu, Hoàng Kế Viêm

May 19, 1883

Battle of Cầu Giấy (1883) Black Flag victory Cầu Giấy Liu Yongfu, Hoàng Kế Viêm

August 15, 1883

Battle of Phủ Hoài Liu Yongfu

August 20, 1883

Battle of Thuận An French victory Amédée Courbet

September 1, 1883

Battle of Palan French tactical victory Hanoi Liu Yongfu

December 11–17, 1883

Sơn Tây campaign French victory Northern Vietnam Amédée Courbet, Liu Yongfu, Hoàng Kế Viêm

March 24, 1884

Bắc Ninh campaign French victory Bắc Ninh, northern Vietnam Louis Brière de l'Isle, Oscar de Négrier, Charles-Théodore Millot

April 12, 1884

Capture of Hưng Hóa French victory Phú Thọ Louis Brière de l'Isle, Oscar de Négrier, Charles-Théodore Millot

February 3–13, 1885

Lạng Sơn campaign French victory Lạng Sơn, northern Vietnam Pan Dingxin, Louis Brière de l'Isle, Oscar de Négrier

March 24, 1885

Battle of Bang Bo (Zhennan Pass) Chinese victory Pan Dingxin, Oscar de Négrier, Feng Zicai

Key commanders

Tonkin campaign

Battles 11

Key commanders

Black Flag Army 2

French Third Republic 4

Qing dynasty 2

Nguyễn dynasty 2

France 4

Imperial China 3