I.

Introduction

Vietnam, republic of South East Asia, bordered by China on the north, by the South China Sea on the east and south, and by Cambodia and Laos on the west. Officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, its area is 331,690 sq km (128,066 sq mi). Hanoi is the capital of Vietnam, and Ho Chi Minh City is the country’s largest city.

The modern nation of Vietnam encompasses the historic areas of Tonkin, Annam, and Cochin China. More than 400 years of European control disrupted these traditional regions. France colonized Vietnam in stages during the 19th century, and nationalist groups seeking independence created turbulence during much of the 20th century. From the 1950s to the 1970s, Vietnam was the battleground of an extended war and was divided. The northern portion was closely allied with Communist nations, such as the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) and China, which controlled Vietnam for much of its history. The southern portion was allied with the United States and other democratic nations. The Vietnam War ended in 1975, and political unity was established the next year when the Democratic Republic of Vietnam in the north and the Republic of Vietnam in the south became one nation.