Global Ministries

Vietnam has been populated since 6000 B.C.E. Its government was based on Confucianism and was based on Chinese institutions until, the 19th century when French Catholic Missionaries introduced Christianity and the French Government took control. The focus of French colonialism was taxation of the rural areas and forced labor in French colonial government projects, especially building roads. Colonialism monopolized and drained the revenue from trading salt, alcohol and opium. The harsh taxation policies enabled the French to take most of the land from the villagers. During their 100 years of colonial rule the French colonists held an attitude of cultural and racial superiority to everything Vietnamese.