HANOI: 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. As Vietnam marked the 80th anniversary of the declaration of independence from its European ruler with a grand parade on Tuesday, 24-year-old Huynh Nhung came to the capital, Hanoi, to take it all in.

Relations with France are good, but French fluency has declined since independence 80 years ago, as more students choose to study Chinese or English.

Tens of thousands of people gather in Hanoi to celebrate declaration of independence from French colonial rule.

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