Vietnam on Wednesday celebrated the 50th anniversary of the communist victory over U.S. forces — but with an eye on ties with America that have blossomed in recent decades but are at risk of fraying under President Donald Trump.
Thousands of people, some of whom camped out overnight, lined the streets of what is now called Ho Chi Minh City, formerly Saigon, waving red flags and singing patriotic songs as they watched a grand parade down the main boulevard to Independence Palace.
It was there that a North Vietnamese tank crashed through the gates April 30, 1975, bringing U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War to a dramatic end as Americans evacuated and many of the South Vietnamese they had backed in their war against the communist-run North were left behind.
In the 20 years until the fall of Saigon, the conflict had killed more than 58,000 U.S. service members and about 3 million Vietnamese.
The parade, held every year on what Vietnam calls “Liberation Day,” featured marching troops, as well as an air show with Russian-made fighter jets and helicopters flying over the palace.
Even U.S. diplomats were spotted on stage here after the Trump administration reportedly eased an order not to attend events.
The anniversary comes as the Southeast Asian nation of 100 million people is at a crossroads in its relations with the United States and China.
Despite the legacy of war, the U.S. is highly popular in Vietnam and the two countries have strong ties. Trade has grown exponentially, and the U.S. considers Vietnam a vital security partner in countering Chinese influence.
“I just find it absolutely extraordinary that the U.S. and Vietnam, after going through such a brutal and tragic period, have now built 50 years later this amazing partnership and friendship that we enjoy today,” said Daniel Kritenbrink, former assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs under President Joe Biden and a former U.S. ambassador to Vietnam, who is now a partner at the Asia Group.
“But that work was not easy,” he said, “and even 50 years later, many of these historical issues and issues related to our tragic past remain very sensitive.”
