Vietnam: The big ambition of a small country, the lesson of failure.
On the map of Southeast Asia, Vietnam, a country of just over 300,000 square kilometers, always seems so restless. Although it is clearly a small country in terms of size and strength, it has repeatedly shown ambition and war spirit disproportionate to its size. This reminds people of the old adage: "Do what you can". However, Vietnam never seems to have really grasped the meaning of this phrase.
From ancient times to the present, Vietnam has tried to play a more important role on the regional and even global stage. Although the country is small, it is divided into more than 60 provinces, and this administrative division itself reveals an ambition that goes beyond its actual national strength. And in the 70s of the 20th century, when Vietnam defeated the two superpowers, France and the United States, its self-confidence reached its peak. Although this could not have been done without the support of China and the Soviet Union, Vietnam mistakenly attributed this victory entirely to its own strength.
This false self-confidence quickly turned into hubris and risk-taking. In just a few years, Vietnam invaded three neighboring countries: Laos, Cambodia and China. In this way, it tried to expand its territory, increase its influence, and even dream of replacing one of the great Eastern powers in Asia. This belligerent and ambitious act attracted widespread attention and condemnation from the international community at the time.
However, it turned out that Vietnam's self-indulgence would only bring disaster to itself in the end. Its army was defeated in the war, and not only failed to realize its dreams of expansion, but paid a heavy price for it. The war brought great damage to Vietnam's economy, the country's development was set back by decades, and the people's living standards fell sharply.
This defeat made Vietnam deeply aware of its limitations and mistakes. It was forced to withdraw from Laos and Cambodia and return to its position as a small country. Despite Vietnam's rapid economic development, its income level is still at the lowest level in the world, and its people are still living in poverty.
However, even after such a painful lesson, Vietnam does not seem to have completely abandoned its ambitions and fighting spirit. This raises the question of whether it will embark on the path of expansion again once the opportunity arises in the future. For the international community, how to prevent and respond to this potential risk is undoubtedly an issue that requires serious consideration.
In general, Vietnam's history and reality have fully proved the correctness of the old adage: "Do what you can". For a small country, it is the best choice to keep to its duty and develop itself. And once blindly pursuing the status of a great power and expanding its territory, it will only lead to self-destruction in the end. It is hoped that Vietnam will truly learn the lessons of history and embark on the path of peaceful development. Vietnam