Born July 25, 1839,
St. Etienne, France
Died December 21, 1873,
Near Hanoi, Vietnam
As a supporter of French imperialism, Francis Garnier believed he could advance French power and commercial interests by exploring the Mekong River in what is now Vietnam. Garnier was received as a hero by the French government upon the completion of his first expedition, which covered 7,000 miles and added to European knowledge of Southeast Asia. However, he was blamed for initiating a series of events that led to the French retreat from Hanoi.
Marie-Joseph-François Garnier was born the son of an army officer in St. Etienne, France, on July 25, 1839. The family was strongly traditional and pro-monarchy. After attending the lycée in Montpellier, Garnier went on to the French Naval Academy, where he graduated in 1857. The following year he took part in a French naval cruise to Brazil, Uruguay, Cape Horn, Chile, and Tahiti.
In the mid-nineteenth century war broke out between China and the two main Western imperialist powers, Great Britain and France, over Western efforts to secure favorable trade treaties in Asia. In 1860 Garnier was assigned to the French warship the Suffren, which was sent to support the French effort.
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