Phá»§ Lý is the capital city of HàNam Province of Vietnam 60 km south of Hanoi on the river ÃÂáy.
Phủ Lý was taken by the French canonnière l'Espingole and 28 men captained by Adrien-Paul Balny d'Avricourt on October 26 1873, shortly before Balny's death together with Francis Garnier at Hanoi's West Gate.
In the aftermath of World War II, Phá»§ Lý was where a significant number of VNQDàleaders were captured by the Viá»Ât Minh in 1946. The city was attacked by retreating French forces on June 30 1954, shortly before the country was liberated.
It was almost completely destroyed by the Americans in five days of bombing between July 14 and November 5, 1966.
Michael Maclear writes of the area afterwards as 'a wasteland without life':