Vietnam's history begins with ancient civilizations in the Red River Delta and early kingdoms such as Van Lang, followed by more than a thousand years of Chinese rule that left lasting cultural and political influences. Independence was regained in 939 CE after the Battle of Bạch Ðằng River, leading to centuries of Vietnamese dynasties like the Lý, Trần, and Lê, which strengthened the state and expanded southward into former Champa lands. In the mid-19th century, France colonized Vietnam, integrating it into French Indochina and exploiting its resources, while nationalist and revolutionary movements slowly gained strength in response to foreign domination.

After World War II, Hồ Chí Minh declared Vietnamese independence in 1945, but conflict soon erupted with France, ending in 1954 with the French defeat at Ðiện Biên Phủ and the temporary division of Vietnam at the 17th parallel. This division led to the Vietnam War, in which communist North Vietnam and the Viet Cong fought against South Vietnam and its main ally, the United States. The war caused massive destruction and loss of life before ending in 1975 with the fall of Saigon and the reunification of the country under communist rule. In the years that followed, Vietnam faced economic hardship but later introduced reforms known as Ðổi Mới, helping it rebuild and emerge as a growing nation shaped profoundly by its wartime past.