Between the 2nd and 19th centuries, the country was ruled by four main dynasties: Ly, Tran, Le, and Nguyen. The Ly, Tran, and Le dynasties were the ones who repelled Mongol attacks and Chinese occupations to keep the country intact and unify the land. Then the Nguyen expanded the territory.
It was not until the mid-to-late 19th century that the French came to colonize the country. Many Vietnamese fought to seek independence and were imprisoned for their cause. Then the Japanese took control of the territory in 1940 until the country declared itself an independent nation in 1945 after World War II.
