HIST 115 Lecture Notes - Lecture 12: Secret Ballot, Cash Crop, Limited Voting
Document Summary
The french justified their invasion of indochina on the grounds that they had a "civilizing duty" in the region, a french version of the popular. "white man"s burden" used by the british poet rudyard kipling to characterize the english-speaking nations " obligation to bring civilization to asia"s "backward" communities. Like all western countries, the french had mainly come to the east for political dominance and economic benefit. National prestige and influence were measured in nineteenth-century europe in terms of colonies retained all over the globe. At the end of the century, the united states joined the competition by seizing spain from cuba and the philippines. Admittedly the french gave the indochinese people under their charge a number of economic benefits. The mekong delta marshes were drained so that the area could be cultivated, and roads and railways were built. They also modernized political and social institutions in vietnam and introduced the country to the growing international economy.
