The national flag of Viet Nam was officially adopted by an Ordinance of June 14, 1948, signed by the Chief of the Temporary National Government of Viet Nam. The Ordinance specified the characteristics of the flag with the following words: 

"... The national emblem is a flag of yellow background, the height of which is equal to two-thirds of its width. In the middle of the flag, and along its entire width, there are three horizontal red bands having each a height equal to one-fifteenth of the total height, and being separated from one another by spaces of the same dimensions."

The yellow background is the traditional color of the ancestral land, symbolizing the golden rice grains and the metal considered one of the most precious by humanity. The three red bands represent the three regions of Vietnam, North, Central, and South, reunited in the national community. Red, a vibrant color, is a symbolic of success.

The national anthem was composed by Luu Huu Phuoc; and, due to its haunting rhythms and great patriotic impetus, it immediately conquered the youth. Consequently, it was adopted as the national anthem by an Ordinance of June 14, 1948 of the first Temporary National Government of Viet Nam.

                                       Quo^'c Ca Vie^.t Nam

               Na`y Co^ng Da^n o+i! Quo^'c Gia dde^'n nga`y gia?i pho'ng
               DDo^`ng lo`ng cu`ng ddi hy sinh tie^'c gi` tha^n so^'ng
               Vi` tu+o+ng lai Quo^'c Da^n cu`ng xo^ng pha kho'i te^n
               La`m sao cho nu'i so^ng tu+` nay luo^n vu+~ng be^`n
               Du` cho tha^y pho+i tre^n gu+o+m gia'o
               Thu` nu+o+'c, la^'y ma'u dda`o ddem ba'o
               No`i gio^'ng, lu'c bie^'n pha?i ca^`n gia?i nguy
               Ngu+o+`i Co^ng Da^n luo^n vu+~ng be^`n ta^m tri'
               Hu`ng tra'ng quye^'t chie^'n dda^'u la`m cho kha('p no+i
               Vang tie^'ng ngu+o+`i nu+o+'c Nam cho dde^'n muo^n ddo+`i
               Co^ng Da^n o+i! Mau hie^'n tha^n du+o+'i co+`,
               Co^ng Da^n o+i! Mau la`m cho co~i bo+` thoa't co+n, ta`n pha'
               Ve? vang no`i gio^'ng xu+'ng danh Nghi`n na(m gio`ng gio^'ng La.c Ho^'ng

The translation of the National Anthem is as follows:

                                     CALL TO THE CITIZENS

               O People! The country nears its freedom day.
               Together we go forward to the open way.
               Remembering our centuries of history,
               Brothers from North to South reunite,
               With hearts young and pure as crystal
               Multiply our efforts and do not spare our ardent blood.
               No danger, no obstacle can stop us.
               Our courage remains unwavering in the face of a thousand dangers.
               On the new way, our look embraces the horizon
               And who can repress the soul of our youth?
               O People! Going until the end is our resolution.
               O People! To give all is our oath.
               Together we go forward for the glory of the Fatherland.
               We fight for the immortality of the Lac Long race.