2879 - The Hong Bang Dynasty begins when the first Hung King unites the tribes under one rule. The Hong Bang Dynasty will rule for over 2500 years.
2500 - Rice cultivation is introduced into the region.
1912 - The Middle Hong Bang period begins.
1200 - Bronze casting and irrigation is introduced.
1054 - The Late Hong Bang period begins.
700 - Chinese from the Spring and Autumn Period migrate to Vietnam.
500 - The Vietnamese New Year, called Tet, is first celebrated.
300 - Buddhism reaches the area.
The Trung Sisters
157 - End of the Hong Bang Dynasty. Beginning of the Thuc Dynasty.
118 - Confucianism reaches Vietnam.
111 - The land is conquered by the Chinese and the Han Dynasty.
CE
40 - The Trung Sisters Rebellion occurs against the Han Chinese rule. They temporarily overthrow the Han.
43 - The Han crush the rebels and retake control. The Chinese dominate Vietnam until 544.
544 - The Early Ly Dynasty is founded by Ly Nam De. Ly Nam De becomes the first emperor of Vietnam.
602 - The Chinese once again conquer Vietnam.
938 - Ngo Quyen leads the Vietnamese forces to victory over the Chinese at the Battle of Bach Dang.
939 - Ngo Quyen becomes king of Vietnam and founds the Ngo Dynasty.
968 - The Dihn Dynasty begins.
981 - An invasion by the Song Dynasty of China is defeated.
1009 - The Later Ly Dynasty begins.
1075 - The government begins to use examinations to select minor officials.
1225 - The Tran Dynasty begins.
1258 - The Mongols first invade Vietnam, but are driven back.
1400 - The Ho Dynasty Begins.
1407 - The Chinese conquer Vietnam again. The country is ruled by the Ming Dynasty.
1428 - Le Loi overthrows the Chinese and founds the Le Dynasty. Vietnam declares its independence.
1471 - The Dai Viet people conquer the Champa of southern Vietnam.
1802 - The Nguyen Dynasty takes control and names the country Vietnam. It will be the last ruling family of Vietnam.
Ho Chi Minh
1858 - France takes control of Vietnam making it a French colony.
1893 - Vietnam becomes part of French Indochina.
1930 - Ho Chi Minh forms the Communist Party of Vietnam.
1939 - World War II begins.
1940 - Japan invades Vietnam and takes control of the country from France.
1945 - World War II ends and France reoccupies the southern portion of Vietnam. Ho Chi Minh and the Viet Minh seize control of Northern Vietnam and declare independence.
1946 - The French-Viet Minh War begins. The United State supports the French in an effort to prevent the spread of communism.
Saigon during Tet Offensive
1954 - Vietnam is divided into two countries by the Geneva Conference: Communist Northern Vietnam and Southern Vietnam.
1959 - The Vietnam War begins as Ho Chi Minh declares war in an effort to unite Vietnam.
1961 - President Kennedy sends additional advisors to Vietnam. Advisors from the United States begin to take a more direct role in the war.
1965 - The first U.S. troops arrive in Vietnam.
1968 - Northern Vietnam launches the Tet Offensive.
1969 - The United States begins to withdraw troops. Ho Chi Minh dies.
1973 - A cease fire is negotiated and the United States leaves Vietnam.
1975 - Southern Vietnam surrenders to Northern Vietnam. The city of Saigon is renamed Ho Chi Minh City.
1976 - The Republic of Vietnam is declared.
1977 - Vietnam is admitted to the United Nations.
1979 - Vietnam invades Cambodia.
1986 - More liberal economic policies are put into effect. These policies are called Doi Moi.
1992 - A new constitution is adopted that allows for more economic freedoms.
1995 - The United States and Vietnam establish full diplomatic relations.
2000 - U.S. President Bill Clinton makes an official visit to Vietnam.
2007 - The United States agrees to help study the effects of the herbicide Agent Orange used in the Vietnam War.
2008 - A longtime border dispute with China is resolved.
2013 - A new law prevents people from discussing current affairs on the internet.
Brief Overview of the History of Vietnam
Vietnam has a history of tribes uniting to form strong dynasties. The first dynasty that many consider to be the start of the Vietnamese state was the Hong Bang Dynasty which was ruled by the legendary Hung kings.
In 111 BC, the Han Dynasty from China absorbed Vietnam into their empire. Vietnam would remain a part of the Chinese empire for over 1000 years. It was in 938 AD that Ngo Quyen defeated the Chinese and gained independence for Vietnam. Vietnam was then ruled by a succession of dynasties including the Ly, Tran, and the Le dynasty. Under the Le dynasty the kingdom of Vietnam reached its peak, expanding to the south and conquering a portion of the Khmer Empire.
Ho Chi Minh City
In 1858 the French came to Vietnam. In 1893 the French incorporated Vietnam into French Indochina. France continued to rule until it was defeated by communist forces led by Ho Chi Minh in 1954. The country became divided into Communist North Vietnam and the anti-Communist South. The Vietnam War raged for years between the two countries with the US supporting the South and communist countries supporting the north. The North eventually won uniting the country under communist rule in 1975.
