The History of South The History of South VietnamVietnam

By Robert CooleyBy Robert Cooley

SummarySummary

► In this project I will be mainly looking at In this project I will be mainly looking at Southern Vietnam Southern Vietnam

► The South of the country was pro western and The South of the country was pro western and worked with America during the warworked with America during the war

► Vietnam was split into North and South in 1954Vietnam was split into North and South in 1954► The united states joined the war in 1957 The united states joined the war in 1957

because of the dividing of Vietnam by the because of the dividing of Vietnam by the communist North and America had air force communist North and America had air force bases in the South.bases in the South.

► The war was mainly a struggle between The war was mainly a struggle between Americans and communist southern rebelsAmericans and communist southern rebels

VietnamVietnamVietnam is a country located near Vietnam is a country located near to Thailand it borders Cambodia to Thailand it borders Cambodia

and has had a very war torn past.and has had a very war torn past.

GeographyGeography

►AAlthough many westerners still lthough many westerners still imagine the Vietnam war in reality a imagine the Vietnam war in reality a country filled with natural beauty and country filled with natural beauty and peaceful village life Its highlands and peaceful village life Its highlands and rainforest regions are home to many rainforest regions are home to many exotic animalsexotic animals

►Shaped like a big S Vietnam stretches Shaped like a big S Vietnam stretches all along the side of Thailand and all along the side of Thailand and CambodiaCambodia

Population factsPopulation facts

► South Vietnam also had a population of 16 South Vietnam also had a population of 16 million. Its first proper leader was million. Its first proper leader was Ngo Dinh DiemNgo Dinh Diem who was a fanatical catholic. As communism who was a fanatical catholic. As communism hated religion Diem hated all that communism hated religion Diem hated all that communism stood for This is why he got America's support stood for This is why he got America's support

► South Vietnam had a population of South Vietnam had a population of 16 million16 million Its Its first proper leader was first proper leader was Ngo Dinh DiemNgo Dinh Diem who was who was a fanatical catholic As communism hated religion a fanatical catholic As communism hated religion DiemDiem hated all that communism stood for This is hated all that communism stood for This is why he got Americas support why he got Americas support

► Vietnam had a 16 million population before the Vietnam had a 16 million population before the war war

South Vietnam before the South Vietnam before the war war

►Before the war South Vietnam was Before the war South Vietnam was ruled by colonial French but was ruled by colonial French but was relatively peacefulrelatively peaceful

► It was widely inhabited by rural villages It was widely inhabited by rural villages and farmers and farmers

►This is the flag of South VietnamThis is the flag of South Vietnam

Ancient VietnamAncient Vietnam

► Pre-historic Vietnamese of the Pre-historic Vietnamese of the Hoa BinhHoa Binh culture abandoned travelling life to settle in culture abandoned travelling life to settle in the Red River valley. They were hunters but the Red River valley. They were hunters but they also cultivated plants for fruit and rootsthey also cultivated plants for fruit and roots

►During the stone age period stone tools and During the stone age period stone tools and weapons improved there was other crafts weapons improved there was other crafts too including fabric making and rope too including fabric making and rope making. Rice became the main diet and making. Rice became the main diet and some bronze tools were introduced at some bronze tools were introduced at around 4000 B.C around 4000 B.C

LanguageLanguage

► Vietnamese is the spoken language its spoken Vietnamese is the spoken language its spoken by an estimate of 86 percent of the peopleby an estimate of 86 percent of the people

► As the official language Vietnamese is thought As the official language Vietnamese is thought in schools throughout Vietnam Since 1940 in schools throughout Vietnam Since 1940

► Vietnamese governments have made great Vietnamese governments have made great progress in raising literacy rates and progress in raising literacy rates and approximately 90 percent of the adult approximately 90 percent of the adult population is literate During the twentieth population is literate During the twentieth century the countries elite have learnt a century the countries elite have learnt a variety of languages like French Russian and variety of languages like French Russian and English with English being the mostly learned English with English being the mostly learned second language todaysecond language today

Language in south VietnamLanguage in south Vietnam

Ethnic GroupsEthnic Groups► Vietnam is home to 54 ethnic groups most live in Vietnam is home to 54 ethnic groups most live in

highland areas although some large groups such the highland areas although some large groups such the Chinese live in lowland areas Since the1980s relations Chinese live in lowland areas Since the1980s relations between ethnic groups have been good but conflict has between ethnic groups have been good but conflict has been there a lot been there a lot

► The biggest problem is the fight for food land etc The biggest problem is the fight for food land etc between groups Some group members feel between groups Some group members feel discriminated against and didn’t like government discriminated against and didn’t like government interfering in their lives interfering in their lives

► The government which at one level supports ethnic The government which at one level supports ethnic diversity had bad times with groups it fears might diversity had bad times with groups it fears might become involved in antigovernment activities This has become involved in antigovernment activities This has been the case with several highland groups in northern been the case with several highland groups in northern and central Vietnam the ethnic Chinese many fled and central Vietnam the ethnic Chinese many fled Vietnam at the time of the Vietnam War and China's Vietnam at the time of the Vietnam War and China's brief border war in 1979brief border war in 1979

A Typical ethnic groups home in A Typical ethnic groups home in VietnamVietnam

FoodFood► Vietnamese often accompany main dishes with leafy Vietnamese often accompany main dishes with leafy

vegetables and small bowls of salty sauces that they dip vegetables and small bowls of salty sauces that they dip their food Popular dishes include sauteed vegetables tofu a their food Popular dishes include sauteed vegetables tofu a seafood-based broth with vegetables called seafood-based broth with vegetables called canh, canh, and a and a variety of pork fish or meat dishesvariety of pork fish or meat dishes

► The main diet is rice and fish Vietnam is known in china for The main diet is rice and fish Vietnam is known in china for having salty and very nice sauces to go with all types of having salty and very nice sauces to go with all types of foodfood

► The big cities have restaurants offering Vietnamese and The big cities have restaurants offering Vietnamese and

international foods but for most Vietnamese food international foods but for most Vietnamese food consumed outside of the home is taken at street side stalls consumed outside of the home is taken at street side stalls or small shops that only make one dish The most popular or small shops that only make one dish The most popular item is a noodle soup with a clear meat broth called item is a noodle soup with a clear meat broth called pho pho Many Vietnamese regard this as a national dish Other foods Many Vietnamese regard this as a national dish Other foods commonly consumed at these sites include other types of commonly consumed at these sites include other types of rice or soups rice porridge desserts rice or soups rice porridge desserts

►

IndustriesIndustries

► Industrial output is evenly split between all parts Industrial output is evenly split between all parts Since the 80s Vietnam has promoted foreign Since the 80s Vietnam has promoted foreign investment resulting in a very fast growth in output investment resulting in a very fast growth in output by that part International corporations have been by that part International corporations have been most active in mining electronics assembly and the most active in mining electronics assembly and the production of clothes and shoes usually for export production of clothes and shoes usually for export Corruption and an unclear legal system have really Corruption and an unclear legal system have really limited Vietnams ability to bring more foreign limited Vietnams ability to bring more foreign investment since the 1997 A financial crisis investment since the 1997 A financial crisis Vietnamese state owned factories produce a Vietnamese state owned factories produce a number of things for local consumption like smokes number of things for local consumption like smokes alcohol fertilizer cement food paper glass rubber alcohol fertilizer cement food paper glass rubber and appliances like cookers for a house and appliances like cookers for a house

►

saigonsaigon

►Ho Chi Minh City began as a small fishing Ho Chi Minh City began as a small fishing village known as Prey Nokor The area that village known as Prey Nokor The area that the city is in now was swampland and was the city is in now was swampland and was owned by Khmer people for centuries before owned by Khmer people for centuries before the arrival of the Vietnamese the Khmer the arrival of the Vietnamese the Khmer wanted that Southern Vietnam was given to wanted that Southern Vietnam was given to the Vietnamese government as a place for the Vietnamese government as a place for the marriage of a Vietnamese princess to a the marriage of a Vietnamese princess to a Khmer prince in order to stop constant Khmer prince in order to stop constant invasions and pillaging of Khmer villagesinvasions and pillaging of Khmer villages

FamineFamine

► In the summer of 1945 a bad famine hit In the summer of 1945 a bad famine hit Hanoi and some places around the city Hanoi and some places around the city eventually resulting in two million deaths eventually resulting in two million deaths from starvation out of a population of ten from starvation out of a population of ten million The famine starts political unrest million The famine starts political unrest and peasant revolts against the Japanese and peasant revolts against the Japanese and remnants of French colonial society and remnants of French colonial society Ho Chi Minh capitalizes on the turmoil by Ho Chi Minh capitalizes on the turmoil by successfully spreading his Viet Minh successfully spreading his Viet Minh movementmovement

Facts Facts ► In 1977 border clashes between Vietnam and In 1977 border clashes between Vietnam and

Cambodia were bad as well as accusations by its Cambodia were bad as well as accusations by its former ally Beijing that Chinese residents of Vietnam former ally Beijing that Chinese residents of Vietnam were being persucuted Beijing cut off all aid and took were being persucuted Beijing cut off all aid and took away 800 technicians.away 800 technicians.

► Hanoi was also occupied with a continuing war in Hanoi was also occupied with a continuing war in Cambodia where 60000 Vietnamese troops had Cambodia where 60000 Vietnamese troops had invaded and overthrown the countrys Communist invaded and overthrown the countrys Communist leader Pol Pot and his pro-Chinese regime. In early leader Pol Pot and his pro-Chinese regime. In early 1979, Vietnam was conducting a two-front war 1979, Vietnam was conducting a two-front war defending its northern border against a Chinese defending its northern border against a Chinese invasion and supporting its army in Cambodia, which invasion and supporting its army in Cambodia, which was still fighting Pol Pots Khmer Rouge guerrillas. was still fighting Pol Pots Khmer Rouge guerrillas.

FactsFacts► The U.S lifted a Vietnamese trade embargo in Febuary 1994 The U.S lifted a Vietnamese trade embargo in Febuary 1994

that had been in place since U.S involvement in the warthat had been in place since U.S involvement in the war► In November 2001 Vietnams national assembly approved a In November 2001 Vietnams national assembly approved a

trade agreement that opened U.S markets to Vietnams goods trade agreement that opened U.S markets to Vietnams goods and services tariffs on Vietnams products dropped to about and services tariffs on Vietnams products dropped to about 4% from rates as high as 40% Vietnam in return opened its 4% from rates as high as 40% Vietnam in return opened its state markets to foreign competitionstate markets to foreign competition

► Vietnam became the 150th member of the World Trade Vietnam became the 150th member of the World Trade Organization in January 2007 after waiting 12 years to join the Organization in January 2007 after waiting 12 years to join the groupgroup

  

BibliographyBibliography

►Vietnam,History,Geography,GovernmeVietnam,History,Geography,Governmentnt

►An introduction to VietnamAn introduction to Vietnam►Ask.comAsk.com►Ask about.comAsk about.com