North Vietnam

American  

noun

1. that part of Vietnam N of about 17° N; formerly a part of French Indochina; separate republic 1954–75.

---

North Vietnam British  

noun

1. a region of N Vietnam, on the Gulf of Tonkin: an independent Communist state from 1954 until 1976. Area: 164 061 sq km (63 344 sq miles)

---

Compare meaning

How does north-vietnam compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• North Vietnam vs. South Vietnam

Example Sentences

Using Paveway against targets in North Vietnam, Mr. Stern tells us, “proved two hundred times more effective than conventional bombs.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 10, 2026

The victors renamed it city Ho Chi Minh, after the revolutionary father of North Vietnam.

From BBC • Apr. 29, 2025

Damianos' fictional film "The Hamlet" is set in North Vietnam, hence the need for those with that dialect.

From Salon • May 12, 2024

The fighting between North Vietnam and U.S.-backed South Vietnam did not end until the North’s victory in 1975.

From New York Times • Nov. 30, 2023

It was time, Bundy and McNamara urged, to begin bombing North Vietnam.

From "Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War" by Steve Sheinkin