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Vietnam! Even the country’s name invokes strong and varied emotional reactions from many people. For some, it represents a beloved and lost homeland. For others, it is a place where loved ones were lost in a war that some believed in and others did not. For still others, it is a land finally free from colonial powers and outside influences. Vietnam’s place was once center stage in the global Cold War. Its name and history still sharply divide people in the United States, as shown by the 2004 presidential election. How can this slender S-shaped sliver of a country play such an important role in the lives of so many? This is one of many questions that will be answered in this exploration of the people, places, past, and culture of Vietnam. Welcome to Vietnam in the twenty-first century! This is a country located in Southeast Asia on the perimeter of the Pacific Rim and bounded by Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Burma (Myanmar), and thegargantuan People’s Republic of China. It also is a country of numerous sharp contrasts. Physically, Vietnam is a land of spectacular mountains that tower over huge fertile river deltas. It has a long and troubled history of military conflicts, but it has existed in peace for more than two decades. It is rich in natural resources and beauty but is now confronted by environmental degradation that threatens the welfare of its people. It is a land governed by a Communist party, yet it has joined the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and seems to advocate a capitalist economy. Annual monsoons bring torrents of rainfall and frequent floods, but much of the country lacks clean drinking water. Although now united politically, many sharp divisions between the northern and southern parts of the country remain. These are just a few of the contrasts that exist today in Vietnam.
Despite these many contrasts,Vietnam is finally one country in name. The end of the Second Indochina War, usually called the “Vietnam War” in the United States, finally united Vietnam politically as one country. This event is especially significant to the Vietnamese people, who have been divided for much of their history. They also have frequently been governed by outsiders who have occupied their country. This common history has given the country many heroes and heroines who are still revered today.
The flag, adopted on November 30, 1955, is red with a five-pointed yellow star in the center. The red stands for the blood that was lost in the struggle for independence. The star represents the country’s unity under the leadership of the Communist Party. The five points of the star are also symbolic: They represent the country’s workers, peasants, soldiers, students, and intellectuals. Vietnam is also a country on the go. Cities are filled with people busy with the activity of urban life. In cities like Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Da Nang, people seem to follow a frenzied pace. Streets and sidewalks bustle with people riding...