When someone hears the word Vietnam, they are usually referring to the Vietnam War. Despite what most Westerners think, Vietnam is not just the Vietnam War. There is a long history that begins thousands and thousands of years ago. Over the past hundred years, Vietnam has developed significantly. Vietnam is run by a communist government and, following the example of some Asian countries, they have begun the transition of their economy towards capitalism. In recent years tourism has increased and this has accelerated the development of Vietnam. Vietnam was isolated in the years following the Vietnam War, but in recent years it has begun to establish relationships with other countries. Overall, Vietnam has improved democratization, development and interconnectedness. As of now, the official name of Vietnam is Socialist Republic of Vietnam. The Communist Party of Vietnam is the founding and ruling party. This quote, taken from the 2013 Constitution of Vietnam, shows the control that the communist party has: "The Communist Party of Vietnam... is the driving force of the state and society." They have all the power. This party has control over the centralized government, the army and the media. Before 1945, Vietnam was still a colony. After World War II, France wanted to keep its colonies in Indochina, Vietnam was included in this category. Similar to most colonies after World War II, the Vietnamese wanted independence from France. When France attempted to continue its control, it fought back. This was the First Indochina War. Subsequently, Vietnam was divided into North Vietnam and South Vietnam, so that the opposing parties could organize campaigns before the elections. There should have been elections to reunify the party... of middle paper..., but some relationships are very delicate. Vietnam has come a long way from where it started. Recently they have developed significantly. This quote from the 2012 Vietnam Development Report shows that “Vietnam has come a long way over the past 15 years in promoting the public availability of economic data and information.” Their development is directly linked to their interconnectedness and progress in democratization. Due to Vietnam's progression towards a more capitalist economy, the country has developed. Once Vietnam established and restored relations with other countries, foreign countries began to invest in Vietnam's economy, kick-starting development. Vietnam will always be associated with the Vietnam War, but hopefully they will make a new name for themselves through development, democratization and interconnectedness.