THE country celebrated the end of the war with the United States and the formation of its modern nation 50 years ago with a military parade and a focus on a future of peace.
Thousands camped overnight on the streets of Ho Chi Minh City – once known as Saigon – to watch the parade yesterday, drinking strong black coffee and their faces painted with the Vietnamese flag. The parade included a float that carried the Lac Bird, Vietnam’s emblem, another carrying a portrait of Ho Chi Minh and finally one that represented 50 years of reunification between North and South Vietnam.
Chinese, Laotian and Cambodian troops marched behind Vietnamese army formations, including some wearing uniforms similar to what was worn by North Vietnamese troops during the war. Helicopters carrying the national flag and jets flew over the parade near Independence Palace, where the war ended when a tank smashed through its gates.
Sitting next to Vietnam’s leader were Cambodia’s former leader Hun Sen and Laotian Communist Party General Secretary Thongloun Sisoulith.
Vietnam Communist Party General Secretary To Lam said the victory was a “glorious landmark,” ending a 30-year fight for independence and ending colonialism, and he gave credit to the former Soviet Union, China, Laos and Cambodia.
“We will have to respect the past and respect differences... we are desperate to build a future for peace, (and) do everything we can do so the future generation can have a better world,” he said.
The emphasis on reconciliation and not, like previous years, on military victory reflected how Vietnam was approaching the changing tides of the global economy and geopolitics today, said Nguyen Khac Giang, an analyst at Singapore’s ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute.
He added that the Vietnam War remains central to how the Communist Party framed its legitimacy, not just as a military triumph but also as a symbol of national unity. But To Lam’s comments underlined that the reconciliation remains unfinished.
“The war still defines Vietnam’s unity, and its unresolved divides,” Giang said.
Pham Ngoc Son is a 69-year-old veteran who was an army truck driver bringing troops and supplies from the north to the south through the Ho Chi Minh trail – the secret route used by North Vietnam. He’s on a weeklong tour of the city, which he remembers entering as a part of the northern troops that took over.
He said he cherished those memories and couldn’t describe the joy he felt at that moment. But now there was ”only space for peace and friendship” between the United States and Vietnam.
“The war is over a long time ago,” he said.
This year also marks the 30-year anniversary of diplomatic ties between Vietnam and the United States. In 2023, Vietnam upgraded its relations with the United States to that of a comprehensive strategic partner, the highest diplomatic status it gives to any country and the same level of relations as China and Russia.
About 13,000 people, including troops, militias, veterans and local citizens, were taking part in the parade. The route followed the main boulevard leading to the Independence Palace before branching into city streets and passing the US Consulate. — AP
