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Vietnam

• Socialist Republic of Vietnam
• communist republic with one-party-system
• own name: Công Hòa Xã Hôichu Hghía Viêt Nam
• former names: Dai Viet, Nam Viet, Dai Nam

Contents

• Flags

• Historical Flags

• Meaning/Origin of the Flag

• Religious Flags

• Coat of Arms

• Meaning/Origin of the Coat of Arms

• Aircraft Roundel

• Map

• Numbers and Facts

• History

• Origin of the Country's Name

Flags

National, state and merchant flag,
ratio = 2:3,
Source, by: Flags of the World





since 2015,
Naval flag,
ratio = 2:3,
Source, by: DGF-Informationen Nr. 76





Flag of the Army,
ratio = 2:3,
Source, by: Flags of the World

Historical Flags

1802–1885, Long Tinh Ky,
Flag of Emperor Gia Long
Source, by: Nguyen Đình Sài





1863–1885, Long Tinh Ky,
Flag of Dai Nam under Emperor Gia Long
Source, by: Nguyen Đình Sài





1862–1945, Cochinchina,
Flag of France,
ratio = 2:3,
Source, by: World Statesmen





1885–1890, Dai Nam Ky,
Flag of Dai Nam under Emperor Dong Khanh,
Source, by: Nguyen Đình Sài





1890–1920, "Yellow Flag",
Flag of Dai Nam under Emperor Thanh Thai,
Source, by: Nguyen Đình Sài





1920–1945, Long Tinh Ky,
Flag of Emperor Khai Dinh,
Source, by: Nguyen Đình Sài





1923–1945, Annam & Tonkin,
Flag of the Protectorates,
ratio = 2:3,
Source, by: Wikipedia (FR)





1945, Long Tinh Ky,
Flag of Emperor Bao Dai,
Source, by: Nguyen Đình Sài





1945, Que Ly Ky,
Flag of Vietnam under Emperor Bao Dai,
ratio = 2:3,
Source, by: Nguyen Đình Sài





1945–1946, Viet Minh Ky,
Flag of the Viet Minh (North Vietnam),
ratio = 2:3,
Source, by: Nguyen Đình Sài





1946, Cochinchina,
Flag of the Autonomous Republic,
ratio = 2:3,
Source, by: Wikipedia (EN)





1946–1948, Cochinchina,
Flag of the Autonomous Republic,
ratio = 2:3,
Source, by: Nguyen Đình Sài





1948–1955,
Flag of the State of Vietnam,
ratio = 2:3,
Source, by: Nguyen Đình Sài





1955–1976,
Flag of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam),
ratio = 2:3,
Source, by: Nguyen Đình Sài





1955–1975,
Flag of the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam),
ratio = 2:3,
Source, by: Nguyen Đình Sài





1975–1976, Viet Cong,
Flag of the Republic of South Vietnam,
ratio = 2:3,
Source, by: Nguyen Đình Sài

Meaning/Origin of the Flag

The current flag of Vietnam was officially hoisted over whole Vietnam on 2nd of July in 1976 on the occation of the unification of North and South Vietnam. It is actually the flag of North Vietnam. It is plain red with a yellow five-pointed star in the centre. Red is the colour of communism, but also stands for the revolution. The five-pointed star stands for the unity of youth, soldiers, workers, peasants and intellectuals, and symbolises socialism. The predecessor of this flag was the flag of the Viet Minh units, fighting against the Japanese occupiers since 1940 and was the flag of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, proclaimed on 29th of September in 1945 (until 1946). After the French intervention (1946), however, the Viet Minh flag only flew in the northern part of Vietnam, which was unoccupied by France. After the Geneva Indochina Conference, the Viet Minh flag was confirmed for communist North Vietnam on 30th of November in 1955. The flag of the Vietnamese "People's Army" shows the design of the communist national flag, with the words "QUYÊT THÂNG" in the upper corner. This means: "We must win". On 15th of January in 2015, a naval flag was introduced that is based on the design of the Soviet Union's naval flag. It shows two horizontal stripes in white and blue, in a ratio of 4:1, and the upper wide white stripe shows the naval insignia in the centre, with the inscription: "HÀI QUÂN VIÊT NAM" → "Navy of Vietnam". The first flag in the modern sense was introduced in 1802 by Emperor Gia Long of the Nguyen Dynasty after he unified the country and took power over the whole country. The country was then called "Dai Viet Quoc" and was renamed "Viet Nam Quoc" in 1804. The flag was called "Long Tinh Ky" → "Flag of the Red Dragon". It was plain yellow with a red disc in the centre and was surrounded by a border of blue tongues. The colour yellow stands for the emperor and the Viet people, the red dot stands for the south and also represents the dragon. The blue border stands for the ocean and the dragon's scales. Emperor Dong Khanh introduced a new flag in 1885 because his predecessor had forbidden him from his exile to continue using the "Long Tinh Ky". The country had been called "Dai Nam" since 1839, so the flag was called "Dai Nam Ky". It was yellow and also showed the abbreviated Chinese characters for "Dai" and "Nam". From 1858 to 1862, France conquered the south of the country (Nam Bo, Nam Ky) and created the Colony of Cochinchina (capital Saigon), only the French flag was used here. The north of the country, Tonkin (Nam Bo), with the capital Thang Long (Hanoi), came under the influence of Chinese rebels. In 1884, the French conquered Central Vietnam (Annam, Trung Bo) and the capital Hue, followed by Tonkin in 1885. France forced China to relinquish sovereignty over the country. Central Vietnam (now a French protectorate) remained under the rule of the emperor as the Kingdom of Annam, while Tonkin became an own French protectorate. Emperor Thanh Thai ruled from 1889, defending the sovereignty and unity of the country, which the French had begun to divide up. He introduced a new national flag for Dai Nam in 1890. It was a plain yellow bunting (the colour of the emperor) with three continuous narrow red stripes in the middle. Red stood for the people and the three stripes for the three parts of the country: Tonkin (north), Annam (centre) and Cochinchina (south). It was called the "Yellow Flag". Thanh Thai and his successor Duy Tan were exiled to Africa by the French in 1907 and 1916 respectively, and in 1920 a puppet emperor, Emperor Khai Dinh, was installed, who immediately introduced a new flag. However, his sphere of power remained limited to Central Vietnam (Annam). The flag of Emperor Khai Dinh showed three horizontal stripes in yellow, red and yellow, in a ratio of 1:2:1. It was also called "Long Tinh Ky" because the old "Long Tinh Ky" was used as a model. In principle, the red disc became a stripe and the blue border was removed. The north (Tongkin) and centre (Annam) of the country were French protectorates, which had their own flag from 1920. It was also yellow, but showed the French tricolour in the upper corner. During the Second World War, the French of the Vichy-Government had to share power with the expansionist Japan from 1941 onwards. In March 1945, Japanese troops occupied whole Indochina, ending French colonial rule. Emperor Bao Dai changed his flag, which now had three horizontal stripes of equal width in yellow, red and yellow. On 12th of June in 1945, the Japanese created the "Empire of Vietnam" (De Quoc Viet Nam) and installed Bao Dai from the House of Nguyen as emperor. The flag of the empire was the "Yellow Flag", but the centre red stripe was interrupted so that the Que-Ly symbol (fire essence in the south) from the I-Ching could be recognised. Due to the Chinese symbolism, the flag was not particularly popular. The empire ended on 25th of August in 1945 following Japan's surrender in the Second World War and the communist Ho Chi Minh, the leader of the Viet Minh militia supported by the USA, proclaimed the "Democratic Republic of Vietnam" on 2nd of September in 1945, above which the flag of the Viet Minh militia was hoisted, a single-coloured red bunting with a five-pointed yellow star. On 23rd of September in 1945, France successfully asserted its claims to its colonial territory and after the landing of French troops in October 1945, Vietnam came back under de jure French rule, which could not assert itself in the north, so that the "Democratic Republic of Vietnam" (later North Vietnam) remained there, which led to armed conflicts from 1946 onwards. In the far south, France initially established the "Autonomous Republic of Cochinchina" in 1946. Its flag initially featured the design of the "Yellow Flag", but the coloured stripes were blue. In the same year, the spaces between the narrow blue stripes were filled with white. In 1948, France created the "State of Vietnam" in the entire south of the country, with a government loyal to France (from 1949 under Bao Dai as president). The flag of this state was the "yellow flag" with red stripes. After France was defeated in the war with the Viet Minh and had to give up Indochina, the country was divided along the 17th parallel at the Geneva Conference on 21st of July in 1954, with the "Democratic Republic of Vietnam" (supported by the Soviet Union and China) with the Viet Minh flag in the north and the "Republic of Vietnam" (supported by the USA) with the "Yellow Flag" with the red stripes in the south from 1955. The war continued as the "Vietnam War" between the two states, in which the North triumphed in 1975 and occupied the South, establishing the "Republic of South Vietnam" there, which was united with the North to form the "Socialist Republic of Vietnam" on 2nd of July in 1976.

Source: NLĐO, DGF-Informationen Nr. 76, Wikipedia (EN), Nguyen Đình Sài

Religious Flags

Flag of Buddhism,
Source, by: Flags of the World





Flag of the Catholic Church,
Source, by: Flags of the World





Flag of Cao Dai,
Source, by: Foto, vnanet.vn





Flag of Hoa Hao (PGHH),
Source, by: Wikipedia (VI)

Coat of Arms

since 1976,
Coat of arms of Vietnam,
Source: Corel Draw 4



1946–1948,
Coat of arms of Cochinchina,
Source, by: Wikipedia (EN)



1948–1949,
Coat of arms of South Vietnam,
Source, by: Wikipedia (EN)



1954–1955,
Coat of arms of South Vietnam,
Source, by: Wikipedia (EN)



1955–1963,
Coat of arms of South Vietnam,
Source, by: Wikipedia (EN)



1963–1975,
Coat of arms of South Vietnam,
Source, by: Wikipedia (EN)

Meaning/Origin of the Coat of Arms

The current national coat of arms was already introduced on 21st of July in 1956 (initially only for North Vietnam), but was adopted for the whole of Vietnam on 2nd of July in 1976 with the new name of the country on the banner. Red stands for the revolution, the rice wreath represents agriculture and the cogwheel represents industry. The wreath and cogwheel symbolise the alliance between workers and farmers. The five-pointed star stands for the unity of youth, soldiers, workers, farmers and intellectuals, and symbolises socialism. The design of the coat of arms is inspired by the coat of arms of China. The coat of arms of South Vietnam was always inspired by the image of the "yellow flag", thus showing three narrow red stripes on a yellow background. From 1957, the symbolism of South Vietnam was supplemented by another image, the image of a bamboo bush, which was also used as a coat of arms image and was also depicted on South Vietnamese passports, for example. The flag of the President of South Vietnam also featured this image at times. Depictions of a dragon also sometimes played a role, especially in the French protectorate of Annam. However, the French colonial administration used a standardised French seal with an image of the goddess of freedom for the whole of Indochina. The state of Vietnam, which was called Dai Nam until 1945, did not have a coat of arms in the modern sense, square seals with stylised Chinese characters were used.

Source: Die Welt der Flaggen, Flaggen Wappen Hymnen, Wikipedia (EN)

Aircraft Roundel

since 1976,
Aircraft Roundel,
Source, by: Wikipedia (EN)



1951–1956, South Vietnam,
Aircraft Roundel,
Source, by: Wikipedia (EN)



1956–1975, South Vietnam,
Aircraft Roundel,
Source, by: Wikipedia (EN)



1955–1965, North Vietnam,
Aircraft Roundel,
Source, by: Wikipedia (EN)



1965–1976, North Vietnam,
Aircraft Roundel,
Source, by: Wikipedia (EN)

Map

Location:

Source: CIA World Factbook

Map of the country:

Source: CIA World Factbook

Numbers and Facts

Area: 128.066 square miles

Inhabitants: 98.858.950 (2023), thereof 85 % Vietnamese (Viet, Kinh), 1,9 % Tay, 1,8 % Thai, 1,5 % Muong, 1,5 % Hmong, 1,3 % Khmer (Campodians), 1,1 % Nung, 1 % Dao, 0,7 % Chinese

Religions: 20 % Buddhist, 6 % Roman Catholic, 2 % Cao Dai, 1 % Hoa Hao, 0,5 % Protestant, 0,1 % Muslim, 70 % Non-Religious

Density of Population: 772 inh./sq.mi.

Capital: Hanoi (Thang Long), 8.053.663 inh. (2019)

official Language: Vietnamese

other Languages: Chinese, Hmong, Tho, Thai, Khmer, further: French, English

Currency: 1 Dong (D, VND) = 10 Hào = 100 Xu

Time Zone: GMT + 8 h

Source: Wikipedia (DE), Wikipedia (EN)

History

257 B.C.–207 B.C. · Vietnamese Kingdom of Au Lac, emerged from the Kingdom of Van Lang

207 B.C.–196 B.C. · Kingdom of Nam Viet

196 B.C.–111 B.C. · Viet Nam is Chinese vassal

111 B.C.–938 A.D. · Vietnam is part of China

679 · China establishes the An Nam protectorate

939 · Vietnam secedes from China under Ngo Quyen, independence

1558–1787 · division of the country between two ruling dynasties, Trinh in Tongking, Nguyen in Annam and Cochinchina, the whole country becomes tributary to China

1802 · China establishes the Protectorate of "Dai Viet Quoc" in Annam and Tonkin

1804 · "Dai Viet Quoc" is renamed "Viet Nam Quoc"

1839 · "Viet Nam Quoc" is renamed "Dai Nam Quoc"

1858 · France occupies Da Nang

1859 · France occupies Saigon

1862 · France acquires the southern Annam

1867 · Cochinchina is ceded to France

1873/1874 · France occupies Haiphong and Hanoi

1874 · Tonkin becomes a French protectorate

1883 · Annam becomes a French protectorate

1884 · France acquires Tonkin

1885 · China renounces its rights in Tongking and Annam

17th of October 1887 · foundation of French Indochina (Cambodia, Cochinchina, Annam and Tonkin

1893 · Laos is annexed to French Indochina

September 1940 · Franco-Japanese military convention, Japanese troops occupy the country

1941 · Ho Chi Minh founds the communist Viet Minh fighting organization, fight against Japanese occupation troops

9th of March 1945 · Japan abolishes French colonial rule

11th of March 1945 · Vietnamese Emperor Bao-Dai declares the country's independence from France

15th of August 1945 · surrender of the Japanese troops

25th of August 1945 · Vietnamese Emperor Bao-Dai abdicates

2nd of September 1945 · Ho Chi Minh proclaimes the Democratic Republic of Vietnam

September 1945 · North Vietnam is occupied by Chinese troops, South Vietnam is occupied by British troops, aim: disarmament and repatriation of Japanese troops

September 1945 · North Vietnam is occupied by Chinese troops

January 1946 · the Chinese troops leave the country

March 1946 · the British troops leave the country

6th of March 1946 · France recognizes the independence of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, but only in the north of Vietnam, and only as an autonomous territory within French Indochina

8th of November 1946 · French troops occupy Hanoi, onset of the resistance of the Viet Minh

October 1949 · formation of a government headed by Bao-Dai in the French-controlled areas

1950 · the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam), becomes internationally partially recognized, in particular from the socialist camp

7th of May 1954 · Battle of Dien Bien Phu, defeat of the French troops

21st of July 1954 · Geneva Indochina Conference, France withdraws from Indochina, Vietnam is divided, the north is left to the communist Viet Minh, the south remains as an initially free and democratic Vietnam

5th of October 1954 · the last French troops leave the country

26th of Octobrer 1955 · Founding of the Republic of Vietnam in the South

20th of December 1960 · founding of the National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam (NFB, NLF or Viet Cong)

2nd and 4th of August 1964 · clashes between war-vessels of North Vietnam and the USA

1965–1968 · US-airstrikes in North Vietnam

December 1966 · the Viet Cong establish a permanent diplomatic representation in Hanoi

1st of November 1968 · cessation of all hostilities between North Vietnam and the USA

29th of January 1969 · Paris Talks, negotiations between the United States, North Vietnam, South Vietnam and the Viet Cong

6th of June 1969 · establishment of a provisional revolutionary government of the Viet Cong in South Vietnam

April 1972 · US-airstrikes in North Vietnam

January to March 1973 · Paris Conference for an ending the war, the US troops leave the country

5th of March 1975 · offensive by the Viet Cong

30th of April 1975 · Saigon is conquered by Viet Cong troops, capitulation of South Vietnam

2nd of May 1975 · South Vietnam is fully occupied by troops of the Viet Cong

2nd of July 1976 · after twenty years of war, South Vietnam is united with North Vietnam to form the "Socialist Republic of Vietnam", communist reorganisation of society in South Vietnam using harsh coercive measures

1979 · Vietnamese troops invade Cambodia, overthrow of the Chinese-backed Khmer Rouge, temporary invasion of North Vietnam by Chinese troops

1989 · the Vietnamese troops withdraw from Cambodia

15th of April 1992 · new constitution, preservation of the Communist Party's monopoly

Source: Meyers Konversationslexikon, Discovery '97, Wikipedia (DE), Weltgeschichte, World Statesmen, Volker Preuß

Origin of the Country's Name

The word "Viêt Nam" translates as "southern land". It is quite old, but the name referred to an area in the south of present-day China. Today's Vietnam seceded from China in the 10th century and consolidated itself in the 11th century under the name "Dai Viet" ("Great Viet"). In the 15th century, the country came under Chinese influence again and had to recognise China's suzerainty. In the second half of the 18th century, the country descended into chaos and civil war. With the help of France, the Nguyen merchant family was able to assert itself and establish Nguyen Anh as new monarch, who proclaimed himself Emperor Gia Long of Dai Viet with the capital Hue in 1802 and had his power confirmed by China. However, he asked China to agree to the country being renamed "Nam Viet" ("Southern Viet"), but this was only authorised in the form "Viet Nam". Gia Long's successor Minh Mang renamed the country "Dai Nam" ("Great South") in 1839. In principle, the country kept this name until 1945, when France, which became increasingly influential, had no interest in recognising the Vietnamese empire and established the name "Annam", the historical name of Central Vietnam (Trung Bo). From 1858 to 1862, France conquered the south of the country (Nam Ky, or Nam Bo) and created the colony of "Cochinchina" (capital Saigon). The north of the country, Tonkin (also known as Bac Bo), with the capital Thang Long (Hanoi), came under the influence of Chinese rebels. In 1884, the French conquered Central Vietnam and the capital Hue, and in 1885 also Tonkin. France forced China to relinquish its sovereignty over the country. Central Vietnam (now a French protectorate) remained under the rule of the Emperor as the Kingdom of Annam, while Tonkin became an own French protectorate. During the Second World War, the country remained under the rule of the French Vichy government from 1940, but came under the influence of an expanding Japan in 1941. In March 1945, Japanese troops occupied the whole of Indochina, ending French colonial rule. On 12th of June in 1945, the Japanese created the "Empire of Vietnam" (De Quoc Viet Nam) and installed Bao Dai from the House of Nguyen as emperor. The empire ended on 25th of August in 1945 in the wake of Japan's surrender in the Second World War and the communist Ho Chi Minh, the leader of the Viet Minh militia supported by the USA, proclaimed the "Democratic Republic of Vietnam" on 2nd of September in 1945. On 23rd of September in 1945, France successfully asserted its claims to its colonial territory and after the landing of French troops in October 1945, Vietnam came back under de jure French rule, which could not assert itself in the north, so that the "Democratic Republic of Vietnam" (later North Vietnam) remained there, which led to armed conflicts from 1946 onwards. In the far south, France first established the "Autonomous Republic of Cochinchina" in 1946, then in 1948 the "State of Vietnam" throughout the south, with a government loyal to France (from 1949 under Bao Dai as president). After France was defeated in the war with the Viet Minh and had to give up Indochina, the country was divided along the 17th parallel at the Geneva Conference on 21st of July in 1954, with the "Democratic Republic of Vietnam" (supported by the Soviet Union and China) in the north and the "Republic of Vietnam" (supported by the USA) in the south from 1955. The war continued as the "Vietnam War" between the two states, in which the North triumphed in 1975 and occupied the South, establishing the "Republic of South Vietnam" there, which was united with the North on 2nd of July in 1976 to form the "Socialist Republic of Vietnam". Today's Vietnam is the continuation of communist North Vietnam. South Vietnam, the historical Vietnam, the old cultural state, perished on 2nd of July in 1976 in the course of the forced unification with the communist North Vietnam.

Source: Handbuch der geographischen Namen, Wikipedia (EN), Nguyen Đình Sài, Volker Preuß