Vietnam after Ho Chi Minh
Due to domestic protests against U.S. military involvement in Vietnam, the U.S.
slowly began to pull its forces out of Vietnam, completely withdrawing military
support in 1973. Despite the massive U.S. bombing raids that had crippled the
infrastructure of North Vietnam, the Viet Cong, now entirely under the direction of
North Vietnam, continued to combat South Vietnamese forces. In 1975, North
Vietnam launched a full-scale invasion of South Vietnam, routing its armies and
toppling the South Vietnamese government. In 1976, the country was officially
united under a communist government. After its reunification, Vietnam began to
expand its influence in Southeast Asia, invading Cambodia, then moving into Laos.
These aggressive actions strained Vietnam’s relations with China, which entirely
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deteriorated after subsequent border disputes. In the postwar years, Vietnam forged
an alliance with the Soviet Union, securing substantial Soviet aid to help rebuild its
war-ravaged country and modernize its economy. Despite Soviet aid, the Vietnamese
economy remained relatively stagnant. Today, while still controlled by a communist
government, Vietnam has undertaken a number of economic reforms to promote
international trade and stimulate its economy.