English Book Section: A Plethora of Paperbacks Left from 1975.

"1975" is a date often used by the Vietnamese to signify the end of an era and a new beginning.  It's the end of foreign governments trying to impose their will on Vietnam and the beginning of full independence,  The French began an utterly exploitative colonization in the 1870s until 1954 when the Vietnamese defeated the French at Dien Bien Phu.  The Americans thought they could dominate where the French failed, but were brought to reality by 1975 when the Vietnamese were not to be denied in their struggle for reunification and threw the Americans out.  "Reunification" is used in many memorials and places, such as the old Presidential Palace in HCMC is now a museum called the "Reunification Palace."  The word itself connotes a single, unified, independent, country which the lore and national consciousness of Vietnam has never forgotten since 111 B.C. when China conquered them, temporarily.  With several revolutions every few hundred years, Vietnam finally threw off the yoke of Chinese hegemony for good in 987 A.D, although Chinese Emperor Kublai Khan tried unsuccessfully to conquer Vietnam in 1247 A.D.  Vietnam was the only country to successfully resist Kublai Khan.  So, Vietnam's national spirit of independence runs long and deep.