Vietnam - Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Northern Thailand - page 336

heavily from Indian art and culture. By the 8th century Champa had expanded to include
what is now Nha Trang and Phan Rang. The Cham warred constantly with the Vietnamese
to the north and the Khmers to the south and ultimately found themselves squeezed
between these two great powers.
Chinese Occupation
The Chinese conquered the Red River Delta in the 2nd century BC and over the following
centuries attempted to impress a centralised state system on the Vietnamese. There were
numerous small-scale rebellions against Chinese rule - which was characterised by
tyranny, forced labour and insatiable demands for tribute - between the 3rd to 6th centur-
ies, but all were defeated.
However, the early Viets learned much from the Chinese, including advanced irrigation
for rice cultivation and medical knowledge, as well as Confucianism, Taoism and Mahay-
ana Buddhism. Much of the 1000-year period of Chinese occupation was typified by Viet-
namese resistance while at the same time adopting many Chinese cultural traits.
In AD 938, Ngo Quyen destroyed Chinese forces on the Bach Dang River, winning in-
dependence and signalling the start of a dynastic tradition. During subsequent centuries
the Vietnamese successfully repulsed foreign invaders, including the Mongols, and ab-
sorbed the kingdom of Champa in 1471 as they expanded south.
Contact with the West
In 1858 a joint military force from France and the Spanish colony of the Philippines
stormed Danang after several missionaries were killed. Early the next year, Saigon was
seized. By 1883 the French had imposed a Treaty of Protectorate on Vietnam. French rule
often proved cruel and arbitrary. Ultimately, the most successful resistance came from the
communists, first organised by Ho Chi Minh in 1925.
During WWII, the only group that significantly resisted the Japanese occupation was
the communist-dominated Viet Minh. When WWII ended, Ho Chi Minh - whose Viet
Minh forces already controlled large parts of the country - declared Vietnam independent.
French efforts to reassert control soon led to violent confrontations and full-scale war. In
May 1954, Viet Minh forces overran the French garrison at Dien Bien Phu.