http://wearechefs.com/2015/09/29/the-history-of-food/

History of pho To fully appreciate pho, one needs to understand its relatively current history. Pho developed out of war or at least domination. Imperialism was the fashion in the mid 1800s for raw materials were needed to fuel the rise of the industrial revolution. To the French, Vietnam, and a host of other colonies, were little more than a tenant bound to French rule. Stories of Michelin tire and rubber farms at that time would rival the worst atrocities of antebellum South.

Where there were Vietnamese servants, they would have recognized the love affair the French had for all foods, especially beef. Servants were taught to cook to the tastes of those they serve. In particular, “Pot au Feu”–a delicate French dish made various ways, but mostly with beef that is sliced and served with a variety of vegetables and a delicious broth. Thus began the Vietnamese adaptation of classic French cooking that forever changed the culture of a people who rarely ate their valuable work animals and who, as Buddhist, had strong vegetarian beliefs.