Brief discussion of the country’s relevant history
Vietnam’s history is complex due to the many groups in their history. There are Indochinese known as the Austronesia tribes, Khmer which were from Cambodia who came from India, Laotians from China’s Yurman Province and the Vietnamese who came South from Yhangtze Valley. The newer people began to push out the Austronesia in order that they could live in the richer delta areas and coastal regions. The first Vietnamese thought they were descendants of a mythical dragon and angel. Most were rice farmers and the production of this product required complex irrigation and collective farming, which resulted in a very strong community. There was a long occupation and domination by the Chinese. The North and South did not get along. In the 19th Century the French had gained control of the Vietnamese forcing them to move away from the Confucius education an adoption of French writing and language. The North fought the French and Japan for control of Vietnam. After Japan surrendered to allies after World War II Vietnam declared independence only to have the British come in and return authority to the French. Later the French withdrew in 1946. In 1954 Geneva accord divided Vietnam into the North and South. The South denounced this division and recruited the U.S. for monetary help. Soon we were training their military. The North was obtaining support from the Soviets helping increase the U.S.’s interest in the South. The South became a Republic. Fighting continued until U.S. troops retreated after a cease fire. Communist forces took over Saigon days later. Topography
Location
Vietnam occupies the Eastern Coast of the Southeast Asian Peninsula and takes the shape of a S showing that the North and South are the widest parts with the middle being 31 miles wide. Land and Water together occupy approximately 127,000 square miles which makes it smaller than Italy and