April 30th of this year marked the 50th anniversary of the fall of formerly Saigon, now Ho Chi Minh City and the end of the Vietnam War. My parents sent me away along with my French God Father in July, 1967 at almost fifteen (see: Waltzing with the Dragons).  They joined me a year later after the Têt offensive in January 1968.

The fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975 marked the end of a divided Vietnam. “In a spirit of closing the past, respecting differences, aiming for the future, the whole party, the people and the army vow to make Vietnam become a country of peace, unity, prosperity and development” said To Lam, the Vietnam Communist Party’s general secretary. 

Thanks to the end of the War, there’s peace now and the country is incredibly developing!