The History of Vietnam

Vietnam has very interesting history.

Early history in Vietnam is inextricably linked with that of China, the two countries having had close associations for centuries. The first recorded Vietnamese people are believed to have lived in what is now the southern part of China and northern part of Vietnam. The Viet people developed a strong agricultural society ahead of most other Asian countries in the small kingdom of what was known as Au Lac in the Red River Delta.

By the 2nd century BC, the Chinese were beginning to dominate the entire region and successfully annexed the Red River Delta, proceeding to rule over the area for the ensuing millennia. This period of Chinese rule saw numerous rebellions by the Vietnamese, which were systematically quashed by the superior might of the Chinese military. This went on until 939AD when General Ngo Quyen took advantage of internal strife in China to successfully repel the invaders and set up an independent nation with its capital at Co Loa.

Following Ngo Quyen's death, Vietnam underwent a period of cultural development during the 200 years of the Ly Dynasty. Through this period and the succeeding Tran Dynasty, the country continually repelled invasions from its powerful northern neighbour while simultaneously expanding to the southern part of modern-day Vietnam. At the beginning of the 15th century, the Chinese again took control and Vietnam became part of the powerful Ming Dynasty until 1428 when the country regained independence under the leadership of Emperor Le Loi. The Le Dynasty ruled Vietnam until the 18th century but saw a considerable number of internal power struggles between north and south.


It was inevitable that European powers would eventually become involved in the power struggle in Vietnam and it was the French who sent in their military might to assist Nguyen Anh in his fight for leadership in exchange for special trading and missionary rights. Following the persecution of Christian missionaries, however, the French launched a full-scale attack on Vietnam and by 1887 France had overall control of the whole country, which became part of the French colony of Indochina, incorporating Laos and Cambodia.

In 1930 the revolutionary Ho Chi Minh formed an Indochinese Communist party and easily rallied support for his cause against oppressive French rule. At the end of World War Two, Ho Chi Minh declared Vietnamese independence leading to violent battles with the French. Eventually the French conceded a peace treaty in 1954 after defeat at Dien Bien Phu, dividing the country into North and South - with directly opposing political persuasions.

Wrangling between the two sides descended into full-scale war in 1965 with the USA backing the southern anti-Communists against the northern Viet Cong Communists. The bloody Vietnam War claimed severe loss of life and hardship on both sides, the stealthy guerilla tactics of the Viet Cong proving a surprisingly tenacious foe against the American military.

Some of the worst fighting took place during the Tet Offensive of 1968. In 1970 the US invade Cambodia, where there were a number of Viet Cong bases but the ensuing bloodshed led to the withdrawal of the majority of US ground troops. It was not until 1973, however, that a ceasefire was negotiated with complete American withdrawal, followed by the fall of the South in 1975. The war had claimed 1.3 million Vietnamese and 58,000 American lives.

Vietnam's troubles were still not over, however. In 1977, the country became embroiled in border disputes with the Cambodian Khmer Rouge, who were soon backed by Vietnam's old enemy, China. A long, protracted struggle ensued, with the UN eventually brokering a ceasefire in 1989. Devastated by years at war, the country began to put itself back together during the 90s, re-establishing diplomatic and trade relations with the US and reforming the economy.

Although still extremely poor, the country has undergone something of a boom in recent years, with an increase in foreign investment re-energising the economy and bringing relative prosperity to sections of the population. International tourism has also taken off in recent years, with an increasing number of visitors discovering the many attractions of this unique and diverse country.