The Vietnam War is undoubtedly still the first thing many people think of when one mentions Vietnam. Countless films and books deal with this war and its consequences, both for the Vietnamese and the Americans. Apart from focusing on the many wars and numerous attempts at occupation that the Vietnamese people have lived through during the last millennium, the majority of the literature deals with how Vietnamese society is organised and how the Vietnamese live their lives. Their way of being and thinking is characterised by harmony, hierarchy, and respect for elders and authority. The family is an immensely important entity, or more specifically the most important one, both in society and for the individual. Furthermore, in media and travel brochures, Vietnam is presented as “A land of smiles”, along with other Southeast-Asian countries such as Cambodia, Laos and Thailand. Are the Vietnamese a harmonious and family-loving people? If so, what has contributed to shaping their way of thinking and their behaviour?