IMPORTANT DATES
111 BC
China conquered the northern part of present-day Vietnam, and later changed the name of the region to Annam.
AD 939
China withdrew from Annam, and the Vietnamese kingdom of Dai Co Viet was established. Other Vietnamese kingdoms ruled southern areas of present-day Vietnam.
1009-1225
Vietnamese art and culture thrived during the Ly dynasty.
1407-1428
China seized control of Dai Co Viet, but resistance forces led by Le Loi drove the Chinese from the country and established the kingdom of Dai Viet.
1471
Dai Viet conquered the southern Vietnamese kingdom of Champa, but intermittent fighting between the north and south continued until 1673.
1770s
The Tay Son began to seize control of much of Dai Viet from the Nguyen dynasty.
1802
Nguyen Anh defeated the Tay Son and united the northern and southern parts of the country, which he renamed Vietnam.
1861
The French seized control of Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City) and began establishing a colonial government in Vietnam.
1883
France controlled all of Vietnam as well as Laos and Cambodia.
1940
Japan assumed effective control of French Indochina.
1945
Japan forced Emperor Bao Dai to declare the independence of northern and central Vietnam. After the war, the emperor stepped down and Communist leader Ho Chi Minh assumed power.
1954
The Communist-led Vietminh defeated the French at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu. Vietnam was divided into two nations. Ho Chi Minh became president of North Vietnam, and Bao Dai became the leader of South Vietnam.
1957
Backed by North Vietnam, Communist guerrillas called the Vietcong began to rebel against the South Vietnamese government.
1965
United States forces landed at Da Nang and began fighting in Vietnam.
1969
Ho Chi Minh died.
1973
The United States ended its military involvement in the Vietnam War.
1975
South Vietnam surrendered to northern forces. Thousands of Vietnamese began fleeing the country.
1976
North and South Vietnam were unified under a Communist government. Saigon was renamed Ho Chi Minh City.
1978
Vietnam invaded Cambodia and removed the Khmer Rouge government.
1980s
Thousands of Vietnamese fled Vietnam on boats.
1989
Vietnam claimed to have withdrawn all of its forces from Cambodia.
1990s
Economic reforms encouraging limited private enterprise and foreign investment resulted in rapid economic progress.
1994
The United States ended its long-standing trade embargo with Vietnam. In return, Vietnam offered increased cooperation in providing information about soldiers killed or missing in the Vietnam War.
1996
The United States reestablished full diplomatic relations with Vietnam.
VIETNAMESE HEROES
Vietnamese Heroes--the Trung Sisters, Trieu Tri Trinh, Ly Bon, and many more.
Source:
Microsoft Encarta 97 Encyclopedia
