Phan Thanh Gian

Infobox revolution biography
name=Phan Thanh Gian
linktext|潘|清|簡
lived=1796 – 1867


caption=Phan Thanh Gian in Paris in 1863.
alternate name=
dateofbirth= 1796
placeofbirth= southern Vietnam
dateofdeath=1867
placeofdeath=Cochinchina, Vietnam
organizations=Nguyen Dynasty
religion=Confucianism
footnotes=Negociator of the Treaty of Saigon. Ambassador to France. Governor.

Phan Thanh Giản (1796–1867) was a Grand Counsellor at the Nguyen court in Vietnam. He led an embassy to France in 1863, and committed suicide when France completed the invasion of Southern Vietnam (Cochinchina) in 1867.

Treaty of Saigon

Phan Thanh Gian was one of the foremost mandarins of the Nguyen court. He played a key role in negotiating the Treaty of Saigon with the French in 1862. ["Understanding Vietnam" By Neil L. Jamieson, p.46 [http://books.google.com/books?id=nC0LAJITUmsC&pg=PA46&dq=%22Phan+Thanh+Gian%22&sig=ACfU3U1zCRV-4Zo-SbxwJ0JDUQLccCM6WQ] ] ["Vietnam" By Jan Dodd, Mark Lewis, Ron Emmons, p.151 [http://books.google.com/books?id=7WvOSgCHrOoC&pg=PA151&dq=%22Phan+Thanh+Gian%22&sig=ACfU3U1xq9y4Qdo1o2TF8XOqDSNKI3I-Eg] ] The negotiations led to the formal cession of Vietnamese territory that the French Expeditionary Corps had occupied in 1861 (the first parts of the future colony of Cochinchina): the provinces of Già Dinh, My Tho, Bien Hoa, and the Poulo Condore islands were ceeded, and war reparations paid to the French. ["The Last Emperors of Vietnam" By Oscar Chapuis, p.49: "Phan Thanh Gian agreed to cede Già Dinh, My Tho, Bien Hoa, and the Poulo Condore Island, and to pay for war reparations of 400000 silver dollars over 10 years" [http://books.google.com/books?id=9RorGHF0fGIC&pg=PA49&dq=%22Phan+Thanh+Gian%22&sig=ACfU3U24ZnjJsBrcy_RtMxHQIzkIzN55pg] ]

Because of his role in these negotiations, Phan Thanh Gian became rather unpopular, both with the Vietnamese population, and with the court of king Tu Duc. ["Understanding Vietnam" By Neil L. Jamieson, p.46 [http://books.google.com/books?id=nC0LAJITUmsC&pg=PA46&dq=%22Phan+Thanh+Gian%22&sig=ACfU3U1zCRV-4Zo-SbxwJ0JDUQLccCM6WQ] ]

Embassy to France (1863)

In 1863, Phan Thanh Gian was sent by the king on an embassy to France to visit Napoleon III, in order to negotiate the return of the territories given to the French. Phan Thanh Gian was accompanied by Michel Duc Chaigneau (the son of Jean-Baptiste Chaigneau) on this embassy. ["Viet Nam" By Nhung Tuyet Tran, Anthony Reid, p.207 [http://books.google.com/books?id=Ex_Hy0sv4T0C&pg=PA207&dq=%22Phan+Thanh+Gian%22&sig=ACfU3U1GBCLvLrKrNaZWEnK0z7cjKms-RQ#PPA207,M1] ] Phan Thanh Gian with a 70-strong embassy met with Napoleon III and Empress Eugénie in November 1863. Napoleon III, moved by Phan Thanh Gian's plea, accepted to return the provinces in exchange for a war indemnity, an agreement to station troops in Saigon, My Thau and Thu Dau Mot, and recognition of French military protection. The French Navy Minister Chasseloup-Laubat however, opposed to the return of Cochinchinese territory, threatened Napoleon III with his resignation and that of the whole cabinet, forcing him to order the cancellation of the agreement in June 1864 ["The Last Emperors of Vietnam" by Oscar Chapuis, p.50-51 [http://books.google.com/books?id=9RorGHF0fGIC&pg=PA50&lpg=PA50&dq=Gian+Napoleon+III&source=web&ots=U7dCvFslQo&sig=tnnyovdH-4rt_dRP0uds8hSXv6Y&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=1&ct=result] ]

Through his visit to France, Phan Thanh Gian obtained a first hand understanding of the level of advancement of France compared to Vietnam, was astonished at examples of technological innovation such as steam trains, and stated on his return to Vietnam that France's "wealth and strength are beyond description". Tu Duc only responded to this warning with admonitions of moral rectitude: ["Understanding Vietnam" By Neil L. Jamieson, p.46 [http://books.google.com/books?id=nC0LAJITUmsC&pg=PA46&dq=%22Phan+Thanh+Gian%22&sig=ACfU3U1zCRV-4Zo-SbxwJ0JDUQLccCM6WQ] ]

Governorship

Upon his return, Tu Duc nominated Phan Thanh Gian governor of the remaining southern provinces. ["Understanding Vietnam" By Neil L. Jamieson, p.46 [http://books.google.com/books?id=nC0LAJITUmsC&pg=PA46&dq=%22Phan+Thanh+Gian%22&sig=ACfU3U1zCRV-4Zo-SbxwJ0JDUQLccCM6WQ] ] When France invaded the rest of the southern territories in 1867, Phan Thanh Gian chose to avoid armed resistance and failed to defend the citadel of Vinh Long, [The Twenty-five Year Century By Quang Thi Lâm, p.11 [http://books.google.com/books?id=EuElvVvorT8C&pg=PA11&dq=%22Phan+Thanh+Gian%22&sig=ACfU3U0JJVPCTFwUrNaGz3rKa1JkW4cwUw] ] waiting for orders that never came, resigned from his position and took his own life through poisoning. ["Understanding Vietnam" By Neil L. Jamieson, p.46 [http://books.google.com/books?id=nC0LAJITUmsC&pg=PA46&dq=%22Phan+Thanh+Gian%22&sig=ACfU3U1zCRV-4Zo-SbxwJ0JDUQLccCM6WQ] ]

See also

* France-Vietnam relations

Notes