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Vietnam Country Handbook This handbook provides basic reference information on Vietnam, including its geography, history, government, military forces, and communications and transportation networks This information is intended to familiarize military personnel with local customs and area knowledge to assist them during their assignment to Vietnam This product is published under the auspices of the U.S Department of Defense Intelligence Production Program (DoDIPP) with the Marine Corps Intelligence Activity designated as the community coordinator for the Country Handbook Program This product reflects the coordinated U.S Defense Intelligence Community position on Vietnam Dissemination and use of this publication is restricted to official military and government personnel from the United States of America, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, NATO member countries, and other countries as required and designated for support of coalition operations The photos and text reproduced herein have been extracted solely for research, comment, and information reporting, and are intended for fair use by designated personnel in their official duties, including local reproduction for training Further dissemination of copyrighted material contained in this document, to include excerpts and graphics, is strictly prohibited under Title 17, U.S Code CONTENTS KEY FACTS U.S MISSION U.S Embassy U.S Consulate Travel Information Entry Requirements Passport/Visa Requirements Immunization Requirements Customs Restrictions 2 4 5 GEOGRAPHY AND CLIMATE Geography Statistics Boundaries Border Disputes Bodies of Water Topography Urban Geography Environment Vegetation Climate Phenomena Cross-Country Movement 5 7 11 12 13 13 17 17 TRANSPORTATION AND COMMUNICATION Transportation Roads Rail Air Maritime 17 17 19 20 21 23 iii Contents (Continued) Communication Radio Television Telecommunication Internet Newspapers and Magazines Postal Services Satellites 25 25 25 25 26 26 26 27 CULTURE Statistics Society People Ethnic Groups Family Education and Literacy Rates Language Religion Recreation Customs and Courtesies Dining Social Etiquette 27 27 29 29 30 30 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 MEDICAL ASSESSMENT Infectious Disease Risks to Deployed Personnel Foodborne and Waterborne Diseases Vectorborne Diseases Sexually Transmitted and/or Bloodborne Diseases Water-contact Diseases Respiratory-borne Diseases Animal-contact Diseases Medical Capabilities Key Medical Facilities 40 40 40 40 41 41 41 42 42 44 iv Contents (Continued) HISTORY Chronology of Key Events 46 54 GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS Government National Level Key Government Officials Local Level Politics Political Parties Elections Suffrage Foreign Relations Outlook 55 55 56 58 59 59 59 61 62 62 65 ECONOMY Statistics Resources Industry Agriculture Utilities Foreign Investment Outlook 66 67 67 69 70 71 75 75 THREAT Crime Travel Security Terrorism Corruption Drug Trafficking Smuggling and Transshipment Major Intelligence Services Opposition Forces 76 76 77 78 78 79 80 80 81 v Contents (Continued) ARMED FORCES Organization Military Regions Strategy Personnel Key Defense Personnel Training Uniforms Outlook Army Mission Organization Personnel Training Capabilities Equipment Air Force Mission Organization Equipment Navy Capabilities Personnel Equipment Marine/Naval Infantry Forces Mission Organization Personnel Training Capabilities Uniforms Equipment vi 82 83 83 83 85 85 85 86 86 88 88 88 89 91 91 91 95 96 96 96 98 99 99 99 101 101 101 102 102 102 102 103 Contents (Continued) Coast Guard Mission Organization Personnel Paramilitary, Militia/Self-Defense Forces Mission Organization Personnel Capabilities National Police Mission Organization Personnel Border Defense Force Marine Police Weapons of Mass Destruction 103 104 104 104 104 105 105 105 105 105 106 106 106 106 106 108 APPENDICES A Equipment Recognition B Biographical Data C International Time Zones D Conversion Charts E Holidays F Language G International Road Signs H Deployed Personnel’s Guide to Health Maintenance I Individual Protective Measures J Dangerous Animals and Plants K International Telephone Codes vii A-1 B-1 C-1 D-1 E-1 F-1 G-1 H-1 I-1 J-1 K-1 Contents (Continued) ILLUSTRATIONS Vietnam National Flag National Emblem and Coat of Arms Map to U.S Embassy in Hanoi U.S Embassy, Hanoi Southeast Asia Spratly Islands Coastline Near Vung Tau Topography and Drainage Rural Northwest Mountains Downtown Ho Chi Minh City Defoliation by Agent Orange Da Nang and Hanoi Weather Ho Chi Minh City and Lao Cai Weather Transportation Network Ho Chi Minh City Traffic Construction on Ho Chi Minh Highway Railway Station in Hanoi Ho Chi Minh City Port Population Density Typical Riverside House Ethnic Concentration Dao Girl Wedding Preparations Minority Villager’s Houses Near Dakrong Bridge Notre Dame in Ho Chi Minh City National Museum Hanoi’s Municipal Theater Drying Rice Ho Chi Minh Statue Venerated Statues of Medieval Vietnamese Emperors Ho Chi Minh Museum viii x 10 11 12 13 15 16 18 19 20 21 24 28 29 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 46 47 49 Contents (Continued) Cu Chi Tunnels at Ben Duoc Northwest of Ho Chi Minh City and Vinh Moc Tunnel My Lai Memorial Church With Bullet Holes Government Structure Ho Chi Minh Memorial and City Hall in Background President Tran Duc Luong and Prime Minister Phan Van Khai Administrative Divisions Market Central Bank in Hanoi Boat Operator on Perfume River Pineapple Farm Industry Land Use Industrial Area Near the Port in Ho Chi Minh City Floating Restaurant on Thu Bon River PAVN Regional Command System Military Regions Vietnamese Soldiers Summer Class A and Battlefield Uniforms Military Bases Army Insignia Army Collar Tabs Air Force Insignia Air Force and Navy Collar Tabs Navy Insignia Marine Corps Training Border Defense Insignia ix 50 51 52 56 57 59 60 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 76 82 84 86 87 90 92 93 96 97 100 103 107 CHINA Viet Tri Son La Bac Giang Hong Gai Haiphong HANOI Thanh Hoa LAOS Vinh VIENTIANE HAINAN DAO Gulf of Tonkin South China Sea THAILAND Da Nang Pleiku BANGKOK Tuy Hoa CAMBODIA Nha Trang Gulf of Thailand PHNOM PENH Da Lat Bien Hoa VIETNAM Ho Chi Minh City Road National Capital Other Cities 0 50 Vung Tau Can Tho 100 Kilometers 50 Qui Nhon 100 Miles Vietnam x Cam Ranh Rattlepod Other names: Rattlebox, rattleweed, chillagoe, horse poison Mechanisms of toxicity: Contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids (monocrotaline, heliotrine, retrosine); can kill Low-level ingestions can cause lung damage, and high levels will damage the liver Some species have caused toxicity through the contamination of flour or when incorporated into teas Comments: The fruits are inflated dehiscent legumes (pods) with parchment-like walls; the ripe seeds come loose within the pods and rattle when shaken The flowers are pealike It is commonly found in open woods, roadsides, margins, sandy soils, and fields Manghas No Photograph Available Mechanisms of toxicity: The seed contains irritant toxins and cardiac glycosides, which can cause severe purging, even death, if eaten Comments: Has a milky sap, formerly used in ordeal poisons and for suicide; also used as a fish poison Green fruit is used in India to kill dogs J-34 Shanshi Mechanisms of toxicity: Hallucinogenic effects Has caused death Comments: This is a group of deciduous shrubs or small trees with red, yellow or purple/black berry-like fruit Has five one-seeded nutlets The bark is used for tanning, and the crushed fruit as a fly poison It is used in folk remedies May apple Other name: American mandrake Mechanisms of toxicity: A dangerous plant used in many folk-remedies The podophyllin resin is in all parts; the rootstock, leaves, and unripe fruit contain the toxin podophylloresin (purgative), the glycoside podophyllotoxin (a lignan), and the antimitotic peltatin All parts are poisonous except the ripe fruit, which is edible Ingestion results in vomiting and severe diarrhea; fatalities have resulted from repeated ingestion or topical application of an extract of the rootstock Was used by Amerindians for suicide Comments: Found in east Asia, the Himalayas, and North America Historically used by many cultures as a medicinal J-35 English Yew Other names: Ground hemlock, American yew, Japanese yew Mechanisms of toxicity: Taxine A and B, classed as steroid alkaloids, are present in all plant parts except the aril A single chewed seed is deadly An hour after ingestion, nausea, dizziness, and abdominal pain begin This is followed by reddening of the lips, dilatation of the pupils, shallow breathing, tachycardia, and coma The pulse slows, blood pressure drops, and death is caused by respiratory paralysis No proven treatment exists Emptying the stomach hours after ingestion may be helpful as leaves may not pass quickly through the tract Various clinical measures (circulatory stimulants, artificial respiration, cardiac pacemaker) have not prevented death in suicide cases Comments: An evergreen shrub or small tree bearing a characteristic fleshy, red, sweet-tasting aril with a single green to black, partly exposed, hardshelled seed within In North America, the Japanese yew, the toxicity of which may exceed that of the English yew, has repeatedly caused fatal animal poisonings Was once called the tree of death Freshwater Mangrove No Photograph Available Other names: Putat, bitung, laut Mechanisms of toxicity: Saponins and hydrocyanide have been isolated from the fruit and seeds Has been used as a fish poison on many Pacific islands The fruit con- J-36 tains a triterpenoid saponin; the seeds are emetic and have been shown to induce hypoglcemia in rodents Comments: It is a large tree found growing along shorelines, and has large (20-38 centimeters-long, 10-15 centimeters-wide) non-toothed leaves, white to pink flowers (on individual stalks, square in cross section), and oneseeded fruits (9-13 centimeters-long, square in cross-section) The seeds are crushed and used as fish poison by Australian troops and aborigines J-37 APPENDIX K: International Telephone Codes International Telephone Codes Algeria Australia Austria Bahrain Belgium Brazil Canada China Cyprus Denmark Djibouti Egypt Ethiopia Finland France Gabon Germany Greece Hawaii Hong Kong Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Israel Ivory Coast Japan Jordan Kenya Kuwait Libya Madagascar Malaysia AT&T (public phones) 213 61 43 973 32 55 86 357 45 253 20 251 358 33 241 49 30 852 62 98 964 353 972 225 81 962 254 965 218 261 60 Malta Mexico Morocco Netherlands Nigeria New Zealand Norway Oman Philippines Portugal Qatar Republic of Korea Saudi Arabia Senegal Seychelles Singapore Somalia South Africa Spain Sweden Switzerland Syria Taiwan Tanzania Thailand Tunisia Turkey UAE United Kingdom United States Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe 0072-911 or 0030-911 On-base K-1 356 52 212 31 234 64 47 968 63 351 974 82 966 221 248 65 252 27 34 46 41 963 886 255 66 216 90 971 44 967 260 263 550-HOME or 550-2USA Notes Notes Notes Notes Notes Notes Notes Notes ... Port in Ho Chi Minh City Floating Restaurant on Thu Bon River PAVN Regional Command System Military Regions