Vietnam's Communist leaders, having gained control over the South in the spring of 1975, immediately attempted to establish socialism in the reunified country. But economic failure, foreign policy crises, and popular resistance to dogmatic programs undermined the regime's efforts, and in 1986 the Vietnamese Communist Party embarked on a new era of doi moi (renovation). Today, the country's leadership is moving toward a more market-oriented approach while maintaining the ultimate goal of building a socialist society. Success is by no means guaranteed.Offering an expanded and thoroughly revised edition of his successful text, William Duiker traces the course of Vietnamese history from its origins to the end of the Vietnam War. He considers the country's political structure, foreign relations, economic situation, social problems, and cultural heritage, analyzing the diverse aspects of Vietnamese society and revealing how they have been affected by a generation of conflict and socialist transformation. The author concludes with a discussion of the dynamic factors underlying the Vietnamese revolution, looking at how the changes have affected both the region and course of the global Cold War.