Female members of the Northern Guerilla Force march during a military parade.[Photo/Agencies]

The Geneva Conference in 1954 after the end of the Indochina War produced a set of documents known as the Geneva Accords. These agreements temporarily separated Vietnam into two zones, a northern zone to be governed by the Viet Minh, and a southern zone to be governed by the State of Vietnam, then headed by former emperor Bao Dai, until the country held the general election in 1956.

However, the election did not happen as scheduled. In the north, the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, under the leadership of President Ho Chi Minh and Viet Minh since the August Revolution in 1945, was officially recognized by the former socialist countries as an independent state, with the capital located in Hanoi. In the south, the Republic of Vietnam led by emperor Bao Dai and backed by the French and Americans, was recognized by some western countries, with the capital in Saigon.

Vietnam was reunified after the liberation of Saigon on April 30,1975, ending the Vietnam War. Since then, April 30 has been called the "Liberation-National Reunification Day" in the unified Socialist Republic of Vietnam and is among the biggest national holidays. Saigon was renamed Ho Chi Minh City in honor of the late president and revolutionary hero Ho Chi Minh.