Chào!

Vietnam is a country located in Southeastern Asia, specifically the Indochina region presumably named after India and China. Vietnam borders the countries of Laos, Cambodia and China and has historically been influenced by Chinese culture, specifically the Han, Tang and Ming dynasties bringing its way of thinking (Confucianism) and rice paddy culture (Vietnam's always been big into rice farming, but China brought over its new techniques).

Quick history

North Vietnam had various ancient cultures like the Đông Sơn, which flourished around 1000 BC to the 1st century AD and were specialized in rice farming and domesticated livestock like water buffalos and pigs among other things. From around 111 BC to 938 AD the Chinese dominated the region before they were defeated by Ngô Quyền's rebellion at the decisive Battle of Bạch Đằng, which led to a new independent Vietnam.

900s-1800s

Various Vietnamese dynasties expanded southward, resisting Mongol invasions (coming from the Mongol-led Chinese Yuan dynasty, 1200s) and started gravitating to Chinese Confucianism, adopting many of its traditions. This might sound like Vietnam was a single, unified state but during this time period Vietnam underwent various civil wars with various dynasties fighting for complete legitimacy over the country.

1800s+

France, in 1858, started invading Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos to keep as colonies and divided Vietnam into various administrative regions before the First Indochina War (1946-1954) led to Vietnam's renewed independence, to the chagrin of the West. You see, Hồ Chí Minh, a communist, won against the French but the Allies (UK, France, U.S...) didn’t want the Hồ Chí Minh taking control over the country because the U.S. believed that if Vietnam would fall to communism, other Asian countries would follow suit as communist ideology spreads to neighbors (domino theory).

Thus, in 1954 at the Geneva Conference a compromise was made where Vietnam would be split at the 17th parallel into a communist (North Vietnam) and anti-communist (South Vietnam) state. (line of latitude) and just 2 years later in 1956 elections would be held to reunify the country under one of the two governments. But, the U.S. and South Vietnam were more nervous knowing Hồ Chí Minh would easily win considering the fact he helped kick out the French and was essentially seen as a national hero. Thus, South Vietnam with the backing of the U.S. said that they didin't want to hold the elections in their country.

Since there were no elections to reunify the country, the Việt Cộng (southern communists) with the support of North Vietnam launched a full-scale guerrilla war against the South Vietnamese and U.S. deployed troops, though ultimately led to Vietnam falling under communism in 1975.

Cool fact

...