North Vietnam

American  

noun

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

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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)

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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

Vietnam’s ties to Russia are close and go back many decades, to the vital military, economic and diplomatic support given by the Soviet Union to the new communist state in North Vietnam in the 1950s.

From BBC • Jun. 20, 2024

In 1950, the Soviet Union was among the first countries to give diplomatic recognition to what was then the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, or North Vietnam.

From New York Times • Jun. 20, 2024

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

From Salon • May 12, 2024

American planes took off from nearby aircraft carriers and made sixty-four sorties over North Vietnam, bombing their torpedo boat fleet and a major oil depot.

From "Boots on the Ground: America's War in Vietnam" by Elizabeth Partridge