Vietnam marks 50 years of unification under communist rule

ABC NEWS (Australia)

Vietnam will parade troops and military hardware today as the country marks 50 years since the fall of Saigon. The anniversary has sparked nationalistic celebrations.

Transcript

00:00well the mood here in Ho Chi Minh City ahead of the parade is absolutely buzzing everywhere you

00:10look people are wearing the national flag they are posing for photos and while it's often dubbed

00:16the anniversary of the fall of Saigon in the west over here it's known as liberation and

00:21national reunification day now this city is a far cry from the war zone of the 1970s but young

00:29Vietnamese tell us they are well aware of the hardships that the older generations here went

00:35through we always remember our ancestors who fought for the country but it's already 50 years

00:42so the pain should be over and we should unite for a common future for this anniversary some

00:49Australian newsmen who were here capturing the fall of Saigon have come back to the city well I actually

00:55cover the war from 1970 but 50 years ago I came back for the fall of Saigon the end of this dreadful

01:04war that didn't go anywhere and it's wonderful to be back here now to see the country really at peace

01:10and all the stuff going on all the buildings going up the people how proud they are the North and the

01:16South well 50 years is a long time but there still is a bit of feeling US media has reported that the

01:23Trump administration has told American diplomats here to avoid attending any of the events for

01:28this anniversary Vietnam's government says this is an an occasion among other things to celebrate the

01:34values of peace reconciliation and to put past differences aside

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