nA comprehensive guide to understanding Vietnams long and tumultuous history n A Brief History of Vietnam explores the turbulent history of a land that has risen from the ashes of war to become the newest Asian tiger economy. This book expertly examines the history of a people and a nation with ancient roots which only took its current shape in the 19th century under French colonial rule, and its current name in 1945. n nBefore that, Vietnam was known by many names, under many rulers. Located in the geographic center of Southeast Asia, the country we call Vietnam was ruled by China, then by a series of Vietnamese emperors, and by the French. A devastating, decades-long conflict for independence ensued, ending with the conclusion of the Vietnam War in 1975. Key topics discussed in this fascinating book include: nn n- Chinas ancient conquest of Vietnam and the millennia-long struggle of the Vietnamese for independence from their powerful neighbor to the north n- The reign of the Nguyen dynasty, the last dynasty to rule Vietnam, with its capital at the ancient city of Hue, today a UNESCO World Heritage Site n- The story of Ho Chi Minh, educated in France, who attended the Treaty of Versailles to advocate for independence and became Vietnams first president after the French were defeated n- The countrys miraculous emergence from three decades of war and how it has embarked on the path to becoming one of the worlds fastest-growing economies today nJournalist Bill Haytons accessible prose makes A Brief History of Vietnam an essential study of a complex culture at the heart of Southeast Asia--and the roots of its current economic dynamism.