Vietnam & its Relations with the U.S.

After communist North Vietnam’s victory over U.S.-backed South Vietnam in 1975, U.S.-Vietnam relations remained essentially frozen until the mid-1990’s. Since then, bilateral ties have expanded to the point where the relationship has been virtually normalised. Indeed, since 2002, overlapping strategic and economic interests have compelled the U.S. and Vietnam to improve relations across a wide spectrum of issues. For years, human rights have been the biggest thorn in the side of the relationship. Vietnam is a one-party, authoritarian state ruled by the VCP, which appears to be following a strategy of permitting most forms of personal and religious expression while selectively repressing individuals and organisations that it deems a threat to the party’s monopoly on power. This book explores the current issues and implications in U.S.-Vietnam relations.