THE DIFFERENTIATION OF THE NGUYEN DYNASTY DURING THE RESISTANCE AGAINST THE FRENCH COLONIAL INVASION (1858-1884)

Abstract

Based on the analysis of various scholarly works and employing the historical method, this article focuses on clarifying the influencing factors, progression, and consequences of the internal division within the Nguyen dynasty during the resistance against French colonial invasion (1858-1884). The research findings indicate that: (1) the internal division of the Nguyen court was shaped by both objective factors stemming from the broader regional context and subjective factors inherent to the country itself; (2) this division unfolded in three phases: the period of unity in resisting the French (1858-1859), the emergence of internal conflicts and formation of political factions (1859-1883), and the end of the division when the pro-war faction assumed control of the royal court (1883-1884); (3) the internal division had adverse effects on the dynasty’s leadership strategy in the resistance, weakened the popular anti-French movement, and hindered the assimilation of achievements from Western civilization. The research findings of this paper help to explain the reasons behind the Nguyen Dynasty's failure in the resistance war against the French colonialists (1858-1884).