Vietnam Marks 30 Years Since War's End

[Trojan]

Vietnam Marks 30 Years Since War's End
By TINI TRAN

HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam (AP) - Communist Vietnam marked the 30th anniversary of the war's end with a colorful parade of floats - some emblazoned with American business logos - down the same boulevard where North Vietnamese tanks rolled to victory against a U.S.-backed government.

Hundreds of aging veterans, their chests decked with medals, watched from the sidelines as uniformed soldiers and costumed dancers waving red national flags marched toward the Reunification Palace. The legendary Gen. Vo Nguyen Giap, military architect of the war, was among them, standing alongside Vietnam's President Tran Duc Luong.

Giant billboards of Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam's late revolutionary leader, overlooked the parade route and adjoining streets, which had been blocked to the public for security concerns.

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Familiar themes of national unity and sacrifice were sounded but the commemoration was striking for its focus on the country's economic development, with leaders putting aside communist slogans in favor of touting an emerging prosperity, particularly in the former South Vietnamese capital, Saigon.

Ho Chi Minh City, the former Saigon, was the country's ``economic locomotive,'' attracting the bulk of the country's foreign investment, the president proclaimed to cheers from the crowd.

``Over the past 30 years the city's people ... have overcome the challenges and difficulties of war. The city has recorded huge achievements in all fields,'' he said.

Along the grand boulevard, capitalism has taken solid root. Downplaying the military's role, this year's commemoration featured corporate sponsorship. Some floats, sponsored by Vietnamese banks, sported the logo of American credit card companies. One by a local supermarket featured women pushing shopping carts filled with goods.

These days, Le Duan Street also is home to Diamond Plaza, a glittering, upscale department store where French perfumes and Italian shoes are sold to an urban, middle class. Along the same strip, a French-owned five-star hotel sits across the street from the U.S. consulate.

The changes are remarkable given what the country has undergone in the three decades since the war ended.

On April 30, 1975, Communist tanks barreled through the gates of the former Presidential Palace and the fall of Saigon marked the official end of the Vietnam War, and the decade-long U.S. campaign against communism in Southeast Asia. The war claimed some 58,000 American lives and an estimated 3 million Vietnamese.

``I was listening to the radio with my family and heard that Saigon had been liberated. I was very happy because for many years we weren't free. After 30 years we have rebuilt our country. Our land is safe and secure and I think the future will be better for my children,'' said To Thanh Nghia, 51, a government worker marching in the parade.

The atmosphere in the country surrounding the anniversary has been mostly festive, focusing on Vietnam's recent economic rejuvenation. Memories of the war and its aftermath are little more than anecdotes in history books for most Vietnamese who were born after it ended.

``My father and grandfather fought in the war but I was too young. I think my future will be good because they created opportunities for my generation,'' said Nguyen Thanh Tung, an 18-year-old student.

Despite Vietnam's remarkable recovery from the devastation of war, most of its largely agrarian population of 82 million remains poor with per capita income hovering around $550 a year.

But Vietnam is on the crest of an economic wave, recording an annual growth of 7.7 percent last year - second only to China in Asia. One of the biggest signs of that is the construction under way in much of Ho Chi Minh City, which has posted economic growth of more than 10 percent a year.

Luu Quang Dong, a 68-year-old veteran from northern Vinh Phuc province, traveled by bus for four days to attend Saturday's ceremony. Dressed in his olive uniform covered in red and gold medals, he said he wanted to see the city he had stormed into in 1975, arriving with his unit just minutes after the tanks crashed through the palace gates.

``I wanted to come and see how much the city has changed,'' he said.

Though the North and South reunified three decades ago, the task of reconciliation still looms large. On Friday, Prime Minister Phan Van Khai reached out to Vietnam's former enemies, urging them to ``close the past, look to the future.''

The United States has become Vietnam's single-largest trading partner. But relations with overseas Vietnamese, who sent back nearly $4 billion in remittances last year, remain more sensitive.

Despite the government's message of reconciliation, lingering mistrust continues. Earlier this week, the government banned a book of love songs from the pre-1975 era.

``Thirty years after the war, the country is really reconciled now. Maybe some people still feel bitter about the liberation of Saigon but that number is very small,'' said Han Van Minh, 65, who was a sergeant in the Saigon army and now runs a small business.

For the majority of people in Vietnam, life is better and the bitterness from the war and struggle for survival has given way to a race toward prosperity.

``Many people from the north came down to Saigon to do business and most of them have adapted to the new life here,'' said Nguyen Van Triet, 50, a schoolteacher from the Mekong Delta province of Long An. ``Now people don't care about politics - what they care about is how to get rich.''
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God, Country, Corps! ~Semper Fi~

[atholon]

That makes me sick thinking of Vietnam... all those soldiers were lost because of crappy polititions.

I must say that vietnam soldiers got a bad rap... they are truely brave and those who obeyed orders and those who didn't and saved lives will always be appreciated by me.

[Trojan]

I was in deep thought when I posted this. Many of my Commanders was serving during Vietnam. My Uncle was there. I'm speechless. I just wanted everyone to read.

[atholon]

Few of my uncles served in Vietnam...luckily most of em were squids and never saw much action.

I would hate to be a marine in vietnam.

[Trojan]

My Uncle was Army. My older brother and I started the Marine Corps Tradition. Many of my Unlces were in WWII and have passed on also serving in the
Army. The Army actually recruited me, sent me for testing and to the MEPS. It was then I was transfered to the Marine Corps system and graduated in the top 5 as #4 out of 75 Marine Combat Training and graduated top 10 as #6 out of 100 in The School of Infantry. Meritoriously awardwd my first 6 months in. I was a bad ass guys. I served with some of the best... .

-troj

[atholon]

I bet, marines are tough guys...they do the work that others are to chicken to do.

[Trojan]

It's an Elite Fighting Force in all reality Ath. It's the smallest fighting force in the US. Real small compared to the others. That's why it's THE FEW, THE PROUD, THE MARINES. I to this day, if I ever get intimidated I just think of who I really am, lol. Once a Marine, Always a Marine... .

We do special operations to guys. I was well trained to become Special Operations Capable.

[atholon]

I sure wouldn't want to mess with an Ex-marine...unless I was one...or the exmarine is 80 years old.

[Trojan]

I tried to fight my Squad Leader when we were on Liberty one time. He wouldn't fight me. We didn't take it personal while on the job. He knew I was an asset to the Squad. I was the only expert M249 Gunner in it.

[BADDOG]

It's so sad to think that so many young American men died fighting in this dreadful war and the irony is now that Vietnam is now a capitalist country that embraces free enterprise!

It really is a funny old world we live in!

Regards

God rest ths souls of the fallen.

[ArcticWolf]

<------ Vietnam Era Vet

Never made it over there - joined too late in the war to go.

95B - Military Police(man) Primary MOS
64C - Wheeled Vehicle Driver Secondary MOS
16R - Vulcan Machine Gunner Secondary MOS Additional

MOS = Military Occupational Specialty

12.25 yrs US Army (Active Duty)

Served in USA, Korea (2 tours - I was there in 76 when we almost went back to War over that stupid tree in the DMZ!!), and Germany (1 tour). Total overseas time = 6 yrs 2 months.

Here's a FEW pict's while I was in the Army - some are in Germany (83-86) and 2 for Korea (1 in 1975 and again 1 in 1980... the 1980 one is me on the Bicycle.. LOL)

Click Here

[Trojan]

Awesome ArcticWolf. Thank you for your service.

I believe everyone should spend at least 2 years in the service. It really changes people. I didn't serve as long as you did on active duty but I have had a stay in Germany, England, Spain, Portugal, Sicily, Crete and France. I was on two different ships in the Med and Middle East. I don't want to get into details but I'll say what we did that was easy fun was we particapted in the reinactment and celebration of the 50th Anniversary of D-Day at Normandy.

• PI SC • USMC • • 0311 93-95 • 26th MEU • SOC 94 • •

Salute!