French Indo-China (I?Indo-Chine) was located on the Indo-Chinese peninsula of Southeast Asia. It was a French colonial possession from the later 19th century until 1954. A French Governor-General headed a federal-type central government and colonial administration, but reported directly to France, which retained exclusive authority over foreign affairs, defense, customs, finance and public works. The colony covered 286,194 sq. mi. (741,242 sq. km.) and had a population of 24 million. It consisted of 5 protectorates: Tonkin (northern Vietnam), Annam (central Vietnam), Cochin-China (southern Vietnam), Laos and Cambodia. Principal cities were Saigon, Hanoi, Haiphong, Pnom-Penh and Vietiane. From 1875 to 1951, the exclusive right to issue banknotes within the colony was held by the bank of Indochina (Banque de I?ndochine). On December 31, 1951 this privilege was transferred to the issuing Authority of the States of Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam (Institut d?Emission des Etats du Chambodge, du Laos et du Vietnam). ,From the moment of their conquest, the Indochinese people resisted French rule. The degrees of resistance varied, being strongest in central and northern Vietnam, but was evident throughout Indochina. There were unsuccessful attempts by Vietnamese nationals, headed by Nguyen Ai Quoc (later known as Ho Chi Minh), to gain recognition/independence at the Versailles Peace Conference following World War I.,, ,Japan occupied French Indochina at the start of World War II, but allowed the local French (Vichy) government to remain in power until March 1945. Meanwhile, many nationalists (communist and non-communist alike) followed Ho Chi Minh?s leadership in the formation of the League for Independence of Vietnam (Viet-Minh) which took an active anti-Japanese surrender, and established the Associated States of Indochina, with each of the five political subdivisions having limited independence within the Vietnamese subdivisions led to armed conflict with the Viet-Minh and protracted war (The First Indochina War). In 1949/1950, in an attempt to retain her holdings, France recognized Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam as semi-independent self governing States within the French Union, but retained financial and economic control. Fighting continued and culminated with the French military disaster at Dien Bien Phu in May 1954. The subsequent Geneva Agreement brought full independence to Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam (temporarily divided at the 17th parallel of latitude), and with it, an end to French rule in Indochina.,, ,See also Vietnam, South Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia.,, Rulers:,,, ,French to 1954,, Monetary System:,,, ,1 Piastre = 1 (Mexican Silver) Dollar = 100 Cents, 1875-1903,, ,1 Piastre = 100 Cents, 1903-1951,, ,1 Piastre = 100 Cents = 1Riel (Cambodia), 1951-1954,, ,1 Piastre = 100 Cents = 1 Kip (Laos),, ,1 Piastre = 100 Cents = 1 Dong (Vietnam),,