Vietnam was in a state of war from the 19th century until 1975. Its regions of Cochinchina, Annam and Tonkin were colonised by the French in the late 1800s. Life was harsh as their homeland was ruthlessly exploited for its minerals and rubber, After World War II the French returned to be confronted by a guerrilla movement known as the Viet Minh. Their unconventional hit-and-run tactics brought the French army to its knees in 1954. In the 1960s the USA sent half a million troops to support South Vietnam in its battle against North Vietnam. All these vast resources could not match the determination of the North Vietnamese. On 30 April 1975 Vietnam was reunified. This is the story of how Vietnam fought for its freedom from pre-colonial days to the taking of Saigon in 1975. It is a demonstration of how even the greatest military power can be defeated by a determined challenger