Vietnam :: essays research papers

Vietnam (v-tnm), officially Socialist Republic ofVietnam, state (1990 est. pop. 65,500,000), 128,401 sqmi (332,559 sq km), SE Asia, bordered by Cambodia andLaos (W), China (N), and the South China Sea (E, S).Major cities ar HANOI (the capital) and HO CHI MINHCITY (formerly Saigon). The terrain is generally rugged the devil principal regions, the Red R. delta in the north and theMekong R. delta in the south, are linked by a narrow,mountainous strip. Agriculture, primarily the growing of rice,is the basis of the economy, engaging to a greater extent than 80% of thework force Vietnam is a major rice exporter. Peanuts, corn,cassava, and sweet potatoes, and beans are also grown forsubsistence cash crops include cotton, jute, coffee, and tea.Fishing is also important. Mining, especially of coal, heavyindustry, and most of the timber resources are concentratedin the north. Offshore petroleum deposits have beendeveloped, and crude oil is exported. About 80% of thepopulation are Vietnamese . Significant minorities includehighland tribal peoples such as the Nungs and Meos andCambodians and Thais. Large numbers of ethnic Chinesefled the country after a border jolt with China in 1979.Buddhism and Roman Catholicism are practiced, but religionis discouraged by the government. History. The area that isnow Vietnam is composed of the historic regions ofTONKIN, ANNAM, and COCHIN CHINA. Europeantraders arrived in the early 16th cent. The French capturedSaigon in 1859, organized the colony of Cochin China in1867, and declared protectorates over Tonkin and Annamin 1884. The three were coordinated with Cambodia in 1887 toform French INDOCHINA. A nationalist movement arosein the early 20th cent., gaining momentum during theJapanese occupation in WORLD warfare II. After theJapanese withdrew in 1945 the VIET MINH, a coalition ofnationalists and Communists, make watered a republic headedby HO CHI MINH. French attempts to reassert control andestablish BAO DAI as emperor resulted in the FrenchIndochina War (194654), which ended with the Frenchdefeat at DIENBIENPHU. At the Geneva Conference of1954 Vietnam was provisionally divided, pending comprehensivefree elections, into Communist North Vietnam and nationalistSouth Vietnam. Fearing a Communist victory, the regime ofNgo Dinh DIEM refused to hold the scheduled elections anddeclared the south an independent republic in 1955. TheVIETNAM WAR ensued, with the U.S. aiding SouthVietnam. A cease-fire was signed and U.S. troopswithdrawn in 1973, but the Communists overran the south in1975, reunifying (1976) the country. The regime launched a big resettlement and reeducation program tosuppress continued opposition in the south.