pt. 1. Narrative section -- 1. Vietnam's geography and history -- The physical and human geography of Vietnam -- Rice and society -- The difficulties in Vietnam today -- The name Vietnam -- Vietnam before Chinese domination -- The Chinese millennium -- Vietnam's transition to independence -- The Ly dynasty -- The Tran dynasty -- The Le dynasty -- The Tay Soy rebellion -- France rules Vietnam -- Vietnamese nationalism -- The VNQDD and Ho Chin Minh -- World War II and Vietnam -- The first Indochina War -- The second Indochina War -- The Socialist Republic of Vietnam -- 2. Vietnam's economy -- Historical context -- Recent economic indicators -- Agriculture and rural Vietnam -- Industry -- Vietnam and foreign aid -- 3. Vietnamese institutions -- Vietnamese politics and government -- The Vietnamese Communist Party -- National Party Congress -- Central Committee -- Politburo -- Vietnam's constitution -- Vietnam's armed forces -- Vietnam's educational system -- Primary and secondary schools -- Higher education in Vietnam -- Private education in Vietnam -- Vietnamese religion -- Chinese religious influence -- Buddhism in China -- Religion and the SRV -- 4. Vietnamese society and contemporary issues -- Rural Vietnam -- Women in Vietnamese society -- AIDS and drugs in Vietnam -- A new generation -- Sex and the new generation -- The Viet Kieu -- Conclusion -- pt. 2. Reference materials -- Key events in Vietnamese history -- Significant people, places, and events -- Vietnamese language, food, etiquette, and holidays -- Language -- Names -- Greetings -- Food -- Etiquette -- Holidays -- Vietnam-related organizations -- Business and economic -- Government/embassy/miscellaneous information -- Annotated bibliography of recommended works on Vietnam.