History
An ancient citadel, the city was occupied by France during the Sino-French War in January 1885. However, the brigade there conducted a hasty retreat after a failed attack into China; the "retreat from Lang Son" became the most controversial aspect of the war and led to the fall of the Jules Ferry ministry in France.
The French Army later established a permanent garrison there, which was captured in 1950 during Vo Nguyen Giap's offensive against the French border forts, considered a turning point in the Indochina War.
The city was the center of fighting during the Sino-Vietnamese War of 1979, and sustained extensive damage.
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