Vietnam

BBC

 +4

Key Historical Events

    •    938 AD - Battle of Bach Dang:Defeated southern Han forces, ending nearly 1,000 years of Chinese domination.

    •    1858-1887 - French Colonial Rule:France invades and formally establishes the French Indochina Union, incorporating Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia.

    •    1941-1945 - World War II & Viet Minh: Ho Chi Minh forms the Viet Minh (guerrilla force) to fight against Japanese and French occupation.

    •    1945 - Declaration of Independence: Japan surrenders; Ho Chi Minh declares the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRV) in Hanoi on September 2.

    •    1946-1954 - First Indochina War:Resistance against returning French colonial forces, ending with a major defeat for France at Dien Bien Phu.

    •    1954 - Geneva Accords: Vietnam is divided at the 17th parallel into Communist North and anti-communist South.

    •    1955-1975 - Vietnam War (American War): A brutal conflict involving U.S. troops supporting the South against the North. Major events included the 1964 Gulf of Tonkin incident and the 1968 Tet Offensive.

    •    1973 - Paris Peace Accords: U.S. forces withdraw following a ceasefire.

    •    1975 - Reunification: North Vietnamese forces capture Saigon on April 30, ending the war.

    •    1976 - Socialist Republic of Vietnam: The country is officially unified.

    •    1986 - Doi Moi: The Communist Party implements economic reforms (Doi Moi), shifting from a planned economy to a socialist-oriented market economy.