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Vietnam Marks 50 Years Since Saigon's Fall with Parade and Calls for Unity

Ho Chi Minh City hosts a grand military parade featuring international troops as Communist Party Chief To Lam emphasizes reconciliation and national progress.

Image
FILE- As her wounded husband raises his arm, a Vietnamese woman begs to be taken aboard a U.S. evacuation helicopter so they can escape a Viet Cong attack in Ba Gia, July 1965. The couple was left behind. (AP Photo/Eddie Adams, File)
FILE- Victorious North Vietnamese troops aboard a tank take a position outside Independence Palace in Saigon, April 30, 1975, the day the South Vietnamese government surrendered, ending the Vietnam War. Communist flags fly from the palace and the tank. (AP Photo/Yves Billy, File)
Flag-waving youngsters on the streets of Ho Chi Minh City told AFP that it was TikTok and Instagram posts that had fired their enthusiasm

Overview

  • Vietnam commemorated the 50th anniversary of the fall of Saigon with a military parade and air show in Ho Chi Minh City, symbolizing national reunification in 1975.
  • Communist Party Chief To Lam described the anniversary as a 'victory of justice over tyranny' and called for unity among all Vietnamese, regardless of past divides.
  • The parade included 118 Chinese soldiers marching alongside 13,000 Vietnamese troops, reflecting evolving diplomatic ties with China and international partnerships.
  • The event highlighted Vietnam's transformation into a dynamic economy while addressing lingering challenges, including potential U.S. tariffs that threaten export-driven growth.
  • Veterans, journalists, and former South Vietnamese supporters returned to Vietnam for the anniversary, underscoring themes of reconciliation and remembrance.