Posted on 06/01/2025 2:00:42 PM PDT by RandFan
April 30 marked 50 years since the fall of Saigon and the end of the Vietnam war. Vietnam’s closest partners, including China, Cambodia, and Laos, sent representatives to the commemorations held in Ho Chi Minh City, formerly Saigon. Notably missing from the main parade were representatives from the United States, who were reportedly instructed by Washington not to attend.
The United States’ absence from the events, in addition to recent cuts to programs related to war legacy issues, muddles its relationship with Vietnam. To maintain momentum in the deepening relationship with Vietnam, the United States must prioritize war reconciliation efforts, one of the key pillars of the U.S.-Vietnam comprehensive strategic partnership. War reconciliation has been instrumental in improving the United States’ relationship with Vietnam over the last three decades.
U.S.-Vietnam relations have flourished in recent years. In 2023, the United States and Vietnam elevated their ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership, the highest level in Vietnam’s diplomatic repertoire. The partnership is a significant upgrade from U.S.-Vietnam relations just a decade ago, when Washington hosted the first ever visit by a Vietnamese Communist Party general secretary, Nguyen Phu Trong. This year also marks 30 years since the normalization of U.S.-Vietnam relations, which Vietnamese deputy prime minister and foreign minister Bui Thanh Son and U.S. secretary of state Marco Rubio celebrated via phone call less than a week after President Donald Trump reentered office.
U.S.-Vietnam relations in recent months, however, have been inconsistent. On April 2, Trump placed “reciprocal tariffs” on over 180 countries, assigning a massive 46 percent tariff to goods from Vietnam. Instead of retaliating, General Secretary To Lam approached Trump directly. In what Trump described as a “very productive” phone call, Lam offered to reduce its tariffs on U.S. goods to zero, and Trump accepted an invitation for a working visit to Vietnam. Just one week later, Trump placed a 90-day pause on the reciprocal tariffs, leaving in place a 10 percent tariff on most countries including Vietnam. The United States and Vietnam then held a second round of tariff negotiations from May 19 to 22, led by U.S. trade representative Jamieson Greer and Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Hong Dien. The negotiations were reportedly positive, and talks will resume in early June.
But later in April, the Trump administration reportedly instructed its senior diplomats in Vietnam not to attend any celebrations tied to the anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War. This included Ambassador Marc Knapper, the son of a Vietnam war veteran, who had intended to attend anniversary events on April 29 and 30. Knapper’s absence at Vietnam’s anniversary parade was a missed opportunity for the United States to reaffirm its commitment toward war reconciliation efforts. His attendance would have sent a powerful signal. In a partial reversal, the Trump administration at the last minute sent Susan Burns, the U.S. consul general in Ho Chi Minh City, to attend an anniversary reception on April 29, but still allowed no representatives to the main parade.
In recent months, the dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the attempted closure of the U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP) have disrupted programs dedicated to addressing legacies of war in Vietnam. When the administration on January 24 halted all USAID contracts, workers were in the process of decontaminating the Bien Hoa Airbase of dioxin, a lethal byproduct of Agent Orange. Due to the short notice, pits of contaminated soil were left exposed, initially covered by flimsy tarps that blew away in the wind. U.S. diplomats urged the administration to address the exposed soil due to safety concerns. With Vietnam approaching its rainy season, the tainted soil could have flooded into nearby cities, poisoning food and water supplies. The Trump administration did not respond to these concerns until early March, when it allowed work at Bien Hoa to resume. But the companies in charge of the project, Tetra Tech and Vietnamese construction firm VINA E&C, are reportedly still not receiving promised funds. As a result, the companies have rushed to secure the exposed Bien Hoa site before the rainy season hits at their own expense.
Meanwhile, the War Remnants Museum in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam’s most visited museum, was meant to unveil a USAID and USIP-backed exhibit highlighting the United States’ reconciliation efforts and positive instances of U.S.-Vietnam cooperation. This exhibit would have marked the first time the U.S. government had direct involvement in how the war is portrayed in Vietnam. The significance of an exhibit showing the United States’ reconciliation efforts in a museum full of “American war crimes” could begin to shift decades of stigmatization and resentment in Vietnam and further promote mutual understanding. Funds for the project remain frozen, and the USAID and USIP officials in charge of the project are no longer allowed to work, leaving it in indefinite hiatus.
Addressing war legacies is critical to maintaining the U.S.-Vietnam relationship. A relationship that began with resentment and hostility has transformed into a mutually beneficial partnership core to U.S. interests. Over the last 50 years, the United States and Vietnam went from enemies to security partners. Vietnam has also played a key role in U.S. friendshoring efforts, receiving $2 million in seed funding via the U.S. CHIPS and Science Act for its semiconductor industry. With all the progress made in recent years, the U.S.-Vietnam relationship still has opportunities for growth. If prioritized, the strength of U.S.-Vietnam relations could be more strategic now than ever.
Admittedly a little before my time.
There must be some stories Freepers can share?
We did not lose the Vietnam War. We signed a peace treaty with North Vietnam and as usual, the commies broke the agreement. Plus we had their comrades in arms, the DemonRats,running interference and defending the South.
Defunding. Not defending. Frickin spell check.
I left all of that fun shortly after the Tet Offensive. The KEY investigation is to FOLLOW THE MONEY!
I had two uncles who went to Vietnam, both of them my mom’s younger brothers. One came back physically damaged and the other had PTSD. My cousin served in Vietnam in the Navy. I had lots of older friends who were also there; most came back OK but lots had a hard time adjusting—nightmares and stuff like that. When I was old enough to enlist, I missed Vietnam by about a year.
We lost. Signing a peace treaty and letting it be broken with no consequences is a loss.
The Viet I know like the US and wish to be close to us rather than China. Resentment? Nah they told me that winners do not usually resent the losers.
Personally, I don't care if we don't "reconcile" with the commies.
Ditto.
Give them the $4 billion Kissinger promised. Give it in the form of military aid. Think-Chicoms.
I only hit the post button once...honest.
Did Jane Fonda write this article?
Did Jane Fonda write this article? She should have attended since her side won and she did so much to help them.
A war they started, then they had second thoughts and started calling the gop ‘war mongers’.
I saw U.S. troops shove their own helicopters off of ships so they wouldn't fall into North Vietnamese hands.
I saw desperate, screaming Vietnamese refugees trying to storm into the U.S. embassy, seeking asylum before Saigon fell to the NVA.
I never forgot those TV images. They looked ugly and scary, both for our troops and for the Vietnamese.
Younger Vietnamese are easily the most pro American Asians in that region. Every one I have had the pleasure to meet has been very positive about Americans and being allies and more importantly business partners. My X of a 4 year relationship Twi was born in Da Nang, we meet in University in NYC. We went to visit family a number of times I LOVE Vietnam it’s a spectacular beautiful country. The food is epic win, and they have world class waves for a surfer like me. Plus fishing of all styles, fly, deep sea , bow and spear in fresh and salt waters.
Da Nang is a modern city of 1+ million with brand new sky scrapper condos everywhere everywhere it’s on my short list for expat locations once I can convince my wife to sell her two brick and mortar businesses. You can have a 4 bedroom condo in a tower for the equivalent of $600 a month with staff included. The USD is worth 26,000 Dong offshore money is not taxed and it has huge purchasing power in Vietnam.
GenX has no beef with Vietnam or the Vietnamese people we simply don’t care that boomers do.
Vietnam is very pro business they have favorable taxes for investment and readily give visas for investors. They are CINOs commies in name only. They recognize that capitalism brings wealth and keep the single party system only in name, ordinary people readily own, operate small and large businesses in Vietnam. Investors with a local partner can also run a successful business it’s a market eeconomy more open than the USA it has a lot less regulations and taxes and permits and licences and..and. It’s a myth the USA is a free business economy we are not. Go to Hong Kong, Singapore or Vietnam the differences will make you cringe at the system we have to deal with here. If you have to ask daddy government, daddy can I please have a permit, then a licence, then pay fees to keep that privilege to run your own personal business guess what that’s not freedom.
“ They are CINOs commies in name only.”
I get your point but it’s more than name only.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.