French Colonial Legacy Fades As Vietnam Fetes Independence

A man cycles past the Government Guest House in Hanoi. Crispy banh mi baguettes, grand colonial facades and babbling Francophone schoolchildren are lingering reminders of the French presence that once dominated Vietnam (Credit: AFP)

Crispy banh mi baguettes, grand colonial facades, and chattering Francophone schoolchildren are lingering reminders of the French presence that once dominated Vietnam.

But there are darker legacies too -- in the notorious prisons that enforced foreign rule, and memorials to those slain fighting for independence.