Tour to Vietnam - Sept.2025
Vietnam's history is characterized by lengthy periods of Chinese dominance, centuries of independence and southward migration, French colonization that led to the country's separation into North and South Vietnam, and the Vietnam War that followed, which ended in a united, communist Vietnam in 1975. A series of dynasties that embraced Chinese influences such as Buddhism and Confucianism replaced the early Vietnamese civilization, which was distinguished by its advanced bronze work and wet rice cultivation. Following World War II, Ho Chi Minh's Viet Minh independence movement brought an end to French authority in the 19th century, which sparked the war that split the nation.
The Road to Conflict and French Colonization
1883: The region became part of French Indochina when the Nguyễn, the last imperial dynasty, submitted to France.
Post-World War II: Ho Chi Minh and the communist Viet Minh declared Vietnam independent following Japan's brief rule during the conflict.
France's attempt to regain colonial power resulted in the First Indochina War, which ended in 1954 with the division of the nation into communist North Vietnam and non-communist South Vietnam.
The Vietnam War After 1954: The Viet Cong, communist guerrillas, ascended to power in the South, sparking a conflict between the North and South that involved major international intervention, especially from the US.
1975: The conflict came to an end when communist forces from the North occupied the South, uniting the nation under communist governance.
