Vietnam

American  

[vee-et-nahm, -nam, vyet-, vee-it-] / viˌɛtˈnɑm, -ˈnæm, ˌvjɛt-, ˌvi ɪt- /

Or Viet Nam

noun

1. Official Name Socialist Republic of Vietnam.  a country in Southeast Asia, comprising the former states of Annam, Tonkin, and Cochinchina: formerly part of French Indochina; divided into North Vietnam and South Vietnam during the Vietnam War but now reunified. 126,104 sq. mi. (326,609 sq. km). Hanoi.

2. Vietnam War.

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Vietnam British  

/ ˌvjɛtˈnæm /

noun

1. Official name: Socialist Republic of Vietnam.  a republic in SE Asia: an ancient empire, conquered by France in the 19th century; occupied by Japan (1940–45) when the Communist-led Vietminh began resistance operations that were continued against restored French rule after 1945. In 1954 the country was divided along the 17th parallel, establishing North Vietnam (under the Vietminh) and South Vietnam (under French control), the latter becoming the independent Republic of Vietnam in 1955. From 1959 the country was dominated by war between the Communist Vietcong, supported by North Vietnam, and the South Vietnamese government; increasing numbers of US forces were brought to the aid of the South Vietnamese army until a peace agreement (1973) led to the withdrawal of US troops; further fighting led to the eventual defeat of the South Vietnamese government in March 1975 and in 1976 an elected National Assembly proclaimed the reunification of the country. Official language: Vietnamese. Religion: Buddhist majority. Currency: dong. Capital: Hanoi. Pop: 92 477 857 (2013 est). Area: 331 041 sq km (127 816 sq miles)

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Vietnam Cultural  

1. Republic in Southeast Asia, bordered by Cambodia and Laos to the west, China to the north, and the South China Sea (an arm of the Pacific Ocean) to the east and south.

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The Geneva Conference of 1954 divided Vietnam into North Vietnam, controlled by communists, and South Vietnam, controlled by noncommunists.

In the Vietnam War of 1954–1975, South Vietnam, which was aided by the United States, fought communist insurgents, who were aided by North Vietnam. The war ended when the communists overran the south in 1975. The country was reunified in 1976.

American involvement in the Vietnam War was strongly protested in the United States.

Between 1978 and 1979, Vietnam invaded Cambodia and installed a puppet government.

Vietnam was under the control of France from the second half of the nineteenth century until World War II, when it was occupied by the Japanese. The country became an autonomous state in 1946. France's attempts to reassert control resulted in the French Indochina War (1946–1954), in which the French were defeated.

Great numbers of Vietnamese refugees, known as boat people, fled the country in the aftermath of the war.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Vietnam

While US tariffs are similar for apparel exporters across Asia, analysts say Bangladesh faces a greater challenge in Europe, its largest market, where India and Vietnam have gained ground through free-trade agreements.

From Barron's ● Aug. 5, 2026

He fought in the Vietnam War and went on to graduate from Pace University with a degree in drama.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 1, 2026

He enlisted in the US Navy during the Vietnam War before embarking on a career in acting.

From BBC ● Aug. 1, 2026

I enlisted when I was 19 and served in Vietnam with the 4th Infantry and 1st Cav. from May 1970 to June 1971.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 2026

He assured Thieu that the United States was not abandoning South Vietnam, that Nixon would continue the bombing as long as necessary.

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