jump-start France's stagnating presence in southeast Asia

以图通过占领越南北部
by taking over the northern half of what is now Vietnam;

来转变法国在东南亚停滞不前的现象
it was then called Tonkin,

越南北部当时被称作东京
and the French had tried to take this on several occasions

法国人多次想要拿下这里
but had failed.

不过都失败了
On the pretext of defending persecuted Vietnamese Catholics

他们以保护受迫害的越南天主教徒
and attacking pirates,

并打击海盗之名
the French sent several companies of soldiers

派遣了许多士兵
north to attack the capital of Hanoi.

北上攻打越南首都河内
The campaign was just a little too ambitious,

这场战役野心有点过大
and a French captain, a man named Rivière,

一位名叫里维埃的法国船长
ended up with his head on a pikestaff in the middle of the city.

最终被枪柄穿颅于市中心示众而终其一生