The work of a talented progressive French sinologist offered to the Soviet reader is of undoubted interest. Written by a competent Orientalist and imbued with genuine sympathy for the Vietnamese people, their struggle for independence, highly and rightly appreciating their ancient culture, this book is an important attempt to give an essay on the history of the Vietnamese people from scientific Marxist positions. The absence of such works both abroad and in our Soviet Union makes it especially timely to publish the work of J. Chenot, especially since the scientists of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam are taking only the first, albeit very important steps towards restoring the true history of their people.