Vietnam's history is a record of invasion, conquest, and victory. China ruled
Vietnam for the thousand years ending in the tenth century and this was
followed by centuries of independence, additional Chinese rule, and infighting
among Vietnamese war lords.

The French took Vietnam into its French Indochina colonial empire by 1885
and remained in control of its economy until World War II. After the war,
Ho Chi Minh rose to power to gain independence from France which resulted
in splitting Vietnam into two areas, North and South.

Instability caused the communist forces of the north to invade South Vietnam
resulting in U.S. ground forces to defend the south in 1965. Known as the
"American War", U.S. involvement lasted until 1975 when North Vietnam controlled
the entire country and merged the two areas into the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

After this war, there was economic collapse in Vietnam and additional
conflict with Cambodia and China. In 1986, the government implemented
free-market reform producing a major improvement in the economy that
remains today, although many economic and social problems remain.

Vietnam is currently a single-party state with control over many areas of life
but they have slowly reestablished relations with other countries including
the U.S. in 1995.

These children are happy and carefree; may they have the opportunity to
always be that way.