Despite a 4,000-year-old history, Vietnam has had to struggle against the strong associations of its more recent past. Decades of 20th-century war, turmoil, and human tragedy took a devastating toll on this exotic land, as well as on the entire world community, and most especially the United States. But today, as memories of loss and destruction fall further back into time, the true Vietnam - a lush and vibrant land of hidden treasures and deep-rooted culture - is emerging. Despite countless invasions and outside cultural influences, Vietnam has miraculously managed to retain its distinct identity, and has turned from a land of lost hope into a homeland on which dreams for the future finally have a chance at becoming reality.
