Ho Chi Minh City commemorated the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War Wednesday, with a brightly decorated display of national pride and remembrance. The city, formerly known as Saigon, hosted a military parade featuring Russian-made aircraft and a contingent of 118 Chinese troops, symbolizing enduring international alliances strengthened in the decades since the end of the war.
Vietnam’s top leader, To Lam, addressed the nation, describing the occasion as a “victory of faith” and justice over tyranny, echoing the city’s unity mantra: “Vietnam is one, the Vietnamese people are one. Rivers may dry up, mountains may erode, but that truth will never change.”
People march during a parade to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the fall of Saigon, in Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam, April 30, 2025. REUTERS/Minh Nguyen
The anniversary recalls the capture of Saigon by North Vietnamese forces on April 30, 1975, a pivotal moment that led to Vietnam’s reunification after a conflict that resulted in the deaths of approximately 3 million Vietnamese and nearly 60,000 Americans.
Also on display by the commemorations was the evolving relationship between Vietnam and the United States. Having resumed diplomatic relations with Vietnam in 1995, The United States was represented at the event by Consul General Susan Burns, illustrating improved relations despite having faced recent strain due to proposed U.S. tariffs on Vietnamese goods by President Trump.
Also in attendance was Chuck Searcy, an 81-year-old former U.S. intelligence analyst who now resides in northern Vietnam, aiding efforts to clear unexploded ordnance left from the war through Project Renew, a humanitarian initiative he co-founded.
Artist Tran Duy Truc, 82, gestures next to propaganda paintings ahead of the 50th anniversary of Vietnam’s Liberation Day, in Hanoi, Vietnam, April 29, 2025. REUTERS/Phuong Nguyen NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES
Beyond the official ceremonies, the anniversary stressed Vietnam’s cultural resilience. Propaganda artist Tran Duy Truc, now 82, unveiled four new personal works specifically commissioned for the 50th anniversary. One depicts two women embracing—one wearing colors of the North and one with colors from the South, demonstrating human unity as integral in conversations about war and recovery.
“I wasn’t enlisted to fight (in the war), but I believe I can still wield my brush to convey messages,” Truc told Reuters. “Artists are soldiers, not on the battlefield but on the cultural front,” he added.
