Vietnam


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​ ​ **VIETNAM**

**HISTORY OF IMPERIALISM IN VIETNAM**



[|http://www.latticeworld.org/oldsite/Images/Vietnam.jpg]





Hung Vuong, who founded the nation in 2879 B.C Known as Nam Viet as a vassal state from 111 B.C. until the 15th century Portuguese were the first Europeans to enter the area World War II- Japan took over military bases in Vietnam in 1940. Veteran Communist leader Ho Chi Minh organized an independence movement known as the Vietminh to exploit the confusion surrounding France's weakened influence in the region
 * President:** Nguyen Minh Triet (2006)
 * Prime Minister:** Nguyen Tan Dung (2006)
 * Total area:** 127,244 sq mi
 * Population (2009 est.):** 86,967,524
 * Geography-** Vietnam occupies the eastern and southern part of the Indochinese peninsula in Southeast Asia, with the South China Sea along its entire coast. China is to the north and Laos and Cambodia are to the west. Long and narrow on a north-south axis, Vietnam is about twice the size of Arizona.
 * Government**- Communist state
 * History-** Descendants of nomadic Mongols from China

http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0108144.html?pageno=2


 * What Western power colonized your country?**
 * Autonomy, if not independence, was achieved by the 10th century.
 * The independence lasted until the middle of the 1800s, when European colonization was in full force.
 * France colonized Vietnam and brought western culture and education to the country, greatly changing its culture.

http.vietnam-un.org/images/galleryen/vietnam3.jpg
 * http://www.vietscape.com/travel/vietnam2.gif**

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 * Important dates**
 * Independence Day- April 30
 * Labor Day- May 1
 * National Day- September 2
 * When and how did Vietnam win its Independence?**
 * In 1954, the French were defeated.
 * Ho controlled North Vietnam and Ngo Dinh Diem eventually controlled the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam).
 * In 1956, Diem refused to hold a scheduled election to unite the states.
 * Civil war ensued
 * 1976, the North Vietnamese were victorious.

[|For more info go to]


 * How did the colonists use direct or indirect rule to govern the country?**
 * The Chinese rulers have left a great impact on Vietnam under direct rule
 * The most significant aspect was the united protests against the imposition of Chinese culture on Vietnamese. The Chinese governors wanted to impose their culture, customs and language by achieving total Sinicization.


 * What was the response to colonization within your country?**
 * It was not peaceful
 * Over the next 30 years, France absorbed northern Vietnam (1884), Cambodia (1887) and Laos (1893) into its Indochina colonial empire
 * Couple notable revolts, such as in 1910 and again in 1931, but they were crushed by the French
 * Wasn't until after WWII in 1945 that Vietnamese rebels (communists & nationlists) started a rebellion against French forces


 * Were there any groups or famous individuals that aided ir resisted coloniazation?**
 * The Tay Son brothers
 * By 1778 the brothers were dominant in central and southern Vietnam, and they finally overcame their opponents in northern Vietnam in 1786–87
 * the youngest and most capable of the brothers, overthrew the imperial Le dynasty



My name is Lang Chu. I’m 17 years old. I’ve been living in the city of Saigon since I was born. My mother has been a house wife all her life, she doesn’t know any better. She only cooks and cleans for my father, two younger sisters and I. She has never had what many people would consider a real job. My father works for a small factory on the South side of town. That is before he got drafted for the war between France and us, us meaning Vietnam. My two younger sisters are twins, they are five years old and they don’t understand anything that is going on in the world right now. Before imperialism happened we were a happy family, now it just seems as if everything is falling apart.
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 * //__National Geographic Family Reference Atlas of the world.__//**
 * ORDINARY CITIZEN LIVING UNDER IMPERIALISM IN VIETNAM**

Before imperialism started, I woke up around 7:00, 7:30 every morning to get an early start. Then, I would take my younger sisters for a walk around the town or pick up some food from the little market on the end of our street for my mother. I don't work considering it is nearly impossible for women to get a job in Vietnam, and the jobs they do offer is a lot of hours for little pay. So usually I help my mother out with house chores like doing the laundry, cooking, dishes, and sometimes we run errands during the day while father is off at work. Our family is very religious, we are proud to be Christian. We go to church every Monday, Wednesday, and Sunday, we also pray before every meal. We are very thankful for everything we have in life. My father is the only person who works in our house, he farms for a living. He works extremely long hours. He usually starts work around 6:00 in the morning and ends around 6:00 at night, and he works everyday besides Sunday. It's not much money, but it is enough to get us by.
 * What did you do before imperialism?**

At first, not much was different because I didn't realize how serious imperialism was. But once my father was drafted to serve in the war between France and Vietnam, I realized just how serious imperialism is. After my father was drafted, I started to get less hours of sleep every night. I was worried to death about him considering he was only allowed to write one letter a week and that was if he could afford a stamp. Usually the letters were just to tell us that he was still alive. Besides that, everything got expensive. Our mother had to find a real job just to keep my two sisters and I. She took over our fathers job as a farmer and since imperialism started the wage of working has dropped even more, especially for women. We barely had enough money to keep up with the house, let alone food. We ate left overs almost everyday, eating as little as possible. While our mother was working, I would watch my younger sisters. It was rare to see us leave the house since mother had been working and imperialism started. Not only because of that but also because it was dangerous to go outside, and it was better we didn't take any chances, our mother had already been panicked enough since father was drafted for war.
 * How did imperialism affect you?**

I can only hope for one thing. I hope that after everything ends my family will be back together as happy as we were before. If my father survives it will be a miracle! Although my mother tells me everyday that he will make it, I read the newspapers and listen to the news, it is nearly impossible to believe her. As much as I want to, there are thousands of people dying everyday and if my father survives, I know it is because he has a family who loves him and prays for him everyday. Also, once my family is back together and this is all over. I want to find a job, even if it is for little pay, I need to stop living off of my parents and the best way to do that is to get a job. I figure I'll try to work at the farm with mother and maybe even find a nice christian man who I can start a family of my own with, with my parents approval of course. I just hope everything works out for the best and nothing bad happens to my family along the way, I don't know what I'd do without them.
 * What do you hope to do after imperialism?**

+Media+ Politically: -Gained independence September 2, 1945. - Wrote 4 different constitutions since independence. -1946 Constitution of the [|Democratic Republic of Vietnam], adopted on [|November 9] , [|1946]. - 1959 Constitution of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, adopted on [|January 1], [|1960]. -1980 Constitution of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, adopted on [|December 19], [|1980]. -The 1992 Constitution is the one in effect now. Written on April 15, 1992. The other three are not in effect anymore. -current government type is communist state. -Split in to 58 provinces. -Current President Nguyen Minh TRIET and Vice President Nguyen Thi DOAN. Economically: -When the French took over Vietnam in 1853 they brought a lot of farming and agriculture to Vietnam which makes up most of there economy today. -Struggled the last 30 years trying to make up from the Vietnam War which destroyed most of the crops and plummeted the economy. - They are the third largest oil producer in Southeast Asia. -They are still a relatively poor country. -Vietnam’s agriculture industry consists of rice, coffee, rubber, cotton, tea, pepper, soybeans, cashews, sugar cane, peanuts, bananas, poultry and fish. -After many reforms, Vietnam is the world’s largest exporter in cashew nuts and black pepper, they are also the second largest producer in rice. -4.7% of their population is unemployed and is growing yearly. -More than half of the population works in the agriculture industry. Socially: -When the French came to take over Vietnam they brought with them many different ideas like different religions and different ways of life. -The French also brought a western style modern education system to Vietnam to educate the people and children; they also brought Christianity which made up most of the population until independence. -Now 85% of the population practice Buddhism while 8% practice Christianity. Current living conditions: -Living conditions in Vietnam are not good, there is large lack of food, medicines and consumer goods. -They have the highest population to the size of their country where 85% of the adults are unemployed. -Almost all of workers monthly wage go to food for their family. Effects of imperialism today: -Today you can see how France hasenfluensed more westernized with their ideas and way of life. -France brought education to Vietnam that is present today; they have the same education system as we do kindergarten, elementary school, middle, high school, collage/university. - France also brought farming and agriculture to Vietnam which makes up their economy. -The French brought Christianity to Vietnam which was very popular until the declared independence on September 2 1945. [] []
 * EFFECTS OF IMPERIALISM IN VIETNAM**