Vietnam Preps for War Anniversary

[Fly Navy]

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,154977,00.html

Two highlighted quotes at the end. I see the brainwashing has been very effective.

Vietnam Preps for War Anniversary

Friday, April 29, 2005

Associated Press

HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam — Workers hung red national flags and set out blue Pepsi machines Friday ahead of celebrations for the 30th anniversary of the Vietnam War's (search) end, but the prime minister warned against letting memories of victory overshadow the country's economic problems.

In Hanoi, Premier Phan Van Khai (search) cautioned against complacency at a ceremony presided over by a giant golden bust of founding father Ho Chi Minh (search) and included costumed dancers who re-enacted the war on stage, miming the downing of U.S. warplanes and weeping over fallen comrades.

"Our people's victory in the resistance against the Americans for national salvation is forever written in our nation's history as one of the most glorious pages," Khai told politicians and generals from Vietnam's communist regime and foreign dignitaries, including U.S. Ambassador Michael W. Marine.

But, Khai added, the Vietnamese face many challenges and must "avoid self-satisfaction, and realize the weaknesses and challenges posed to us."

"The economy has not developed to match up with potential, is weak in efficiency and competition," he said. "Compared with countries in the region, we are still behind and have not been able to narrow the gap on economic development and technology. The danger of lagging further remains a major challenge."

An increasingly free enterprise economy has benefited people in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, but prosperity hasn't reached many others, particularly in rural areas. Worst off are the remote highlands of central and northern Vietnam where villagers eke out bare livings, with little access to health care or education.

Khai also spoke about reconciliation. "We advocate friendly cooperation to strengthen relations with countries that took part in the Vietnam War," he said.

"With our humanitarian spirit, we want to close the past and look to the future as regards those people who were in the other camp, whether they are in the country or abroad," he said. He referred to Vietnamese who fought for the former South Vietnam before the fall of its capital — Saigon, later renamed Ho Chi Minh City — on April 30, 1975.

The country's main celebration was set for Saturday on the streets of Ho Chi Minh City, which swarmed with workers all week putting up celebratory billboards, hanging Vietnam's red national flag with yellow star and building stages for performances. On Friday, workers hooked up soda machines along the route for Saturday's parade.

Authorities also began releasing prisoners across the country in a mass amnesty declared for the celebrations. Earlier in the week, officials said they would free a total of 7,820 inmates, including 16 political and religious dissidents who had been jailed for crimes against national security or causing social disorder.

Friday's ceremony in Hanoi focused on reminding Vietnamese of the sacrifices made in a decades-long struggle first against a colonial French regime and then U.S.-backed South Vietnam.

Among those at Ba Dinh Hall, home of the National Assembly, were Communist Party chief Nong Duc Manh, President Tran Duc Luong and the legendary Gen. Vo Nguyen Giap, who led communist forces during the long war.

During the decade of U.S. involvement, the war killed some 58,000 Americans and an estimated 3 million Vietnamese.

But the atmosphere three decades later is mostly festive. Memories of the war and its aftermath are little more than anecdotes in history books for the majority of the country's population that was born since communist tanks rolled into Saigon on a hot April day.

[highlight]"I was born after the war so I only know it as part of history. But it was very important. It was the reunification of the country. It's a moment we can be proud of," said Ngo Thi Binh, 23, a student whose streaked hair is a hallmark of the postwar generation.[/highlight]

That sentiment was echoed by a worker helping with the last-minute touches along Le Duan Boulevard, where Saturday's main parade would pass the former Presidential Palace of South Vietnam.

[highlight]"I was born the year the country was liberated," Tran Minh Thu Huong, 30, said as he put up posters. "I'm proud of the city, proud of Saigon."[/highlight]

 

[KBayDog]

ABSOLUTELY no different than the young talking heads in the American media who compare every U.S. military action to Vietnam.

I'll give the young Vietnamese this much - it is the only Vietnam that they have ever known, and they were taught their "history" by the Reds. Of course they think that their country is great, and I applaud their patriotism. It's their government that sucks. (Then again, we Americans celebrate our independence and national pride every July, even though we and our government are pure evil. Right, France?)

In any event, I recall hearing that Uncle Saddam had his country convinced that they had "won" Desert Storm. (How he explained that to the relatives of the hundreds of thousands of dead soldiers, I'll never know...) Have any of you who have been to the sandbox found that to be the case? Did you run across any Iraqis who believe that they beat us in '91?

(Every major league championship team these days has its own t-shirts/caps that it wears immediately after winning the championship. Of course, the clothing manufacturers have to make shirts/caps for both teams, since either can win. What do they do with the clothes designed for the losing teams? They donate them to charity.

That's right - somewhere in the world right now, someone is wearing a "Buffalo Bills Super Bowl XXV Champions" shirt.

http://www.leonardite.com/tecmo/players/norwood.html )

 

[DocT]

"I was born the year the country was liberated," Tran Minh Thu Huong, 30, said as he put up posters. "I'm proud of the city, proud of Saigon."

Saigon? Perhaps this is a mis-translation but shouldn't this guy know it as Ho Chi Minh City? Saigon ceased to exist the year this guy was born.

 

[Grant]

Saigon? Perhaps this is a mis-translation but shouldn't this guy know it as Ho Chi Minh City? Saigon ceased to exist the year this guy was born.

Good point.

 

[KBayDog]

Speaking of anniversaries...

25 April was the 25th anniversary of Operation Eagle Claw (which the media has ignored, in favor of 24/7 coverage of some gal who got cold feet on the eve of her wedding.) I've heard a rumor that Mark Bowden is doing some research in advance of a book about these true American heroes...anyone heard/know anything about this?