Saigon, 40 years after the Fall

HO CHI MINH CITY:  It’s midday here in Ho Chi Minh City on the 30^th of April, 2015.  

Forty years and one day ago, almost to the minute, the voice of Bing Crosby came over the airwaves of Armed Forces Radio Vietnam, singing the classic Irving Berlin song "White Christmas."  For those in the know - the remaining American civilians and military personnel here - this song signaled the beginning of the final evacuation of Saigon.   They had all been assigned a point to arrive at where they'd be picked up by a helicopter or bus to begin the journey to U.S. Navy Ships offshore in the South China Sea.

The celebration of the 40th anniversary of that event, Liberation Day, as it’s known to the present population, is being led by officials from Hanoi.  Anyone in attendance has a formal invitation from the government. 

Old soldiers, war heroes from the North, who were guests of honor at the Liberation Day celebrations.

There is tight police and military security throughout Ho Chi Minh City.  All streets leading to the parade route have been cordoned off and are manned by armed police or military personnel.  

“We’ve been told to watch it on television,” said the clerk at the hotel.  That appears to be what most of the residents here are doing, though there is much activity on the streets.  When the high officials have left, the parade grounds will be opened to the public.  The government has released nearly 8,000 prisoners, some of whom are political detainees, for an anniversary amnesty.  The only foreign dignitary of note appears to be Raul Castro of Cuba.  His brother Fidel was the leader of that island nation when that country provided strong backing to Ho Chi Minh and his cause from the early 1960s on.  

Independence Palace in the aftermath of the Liberation Day Parade.

This being Vietnam, there are rumors which appear to be just that.  One is that right-wing Vietnamese from the U.S. will be trying to cause a disturbance.  Even more preposterous is the rumor that some old U.S. GIs will be up to something.  

Actually, a large number of U.S. Vietnam veterans do live in the Vietnam of today.  Many are on VA disability for conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder.  Most say they are happy and well received here and can live well on this economy, whereas in the U.S., they barely get by.

“I pay $400 a month for a corner apartment in a state-owned high rise,” said Greg Kleven, who was a U.S. Marine based in Chu Lai in 1966 and '67.  He has lived in Ho Chi Minh City for nearly 25 years and is a participant in the soon-to-be-released documentary, tentatively titled “Echoes of War,” by filmmaker Kaley Clements.

Vietnam veteran Ralph Conroy (left), former U.S. Marine Greg Kleven (center), and Kaley Clements (right) at a Ho Chi Minh City noodle shop discussing Mr. Clements' new film.

The "Saigon" of today bears little resemblance to the city that fell to the North Vietnamese in 1975; however, it’s been a long struggle to get here.  

The first 10 years were spent coping with a destroyed country with no economy.  It was run by jungle fighters who had no experience running a modern country - or, in this case, building a modern country.  The strictly regimented communist economic system certainly didn’t help; neither did the fact that it was isolated from the world community of nations by the U.S.-led trade embargo.  Nor did it help that little-to-no aid was offered from other countries to rebuild.  There was no Marshall Plan for Vietnam, carrying the lesson, apparently: Never win a war over the U.S.   

The decisions by the Vietnamese government in 1987 to open up its economy to the free market and by the U.S. to end the embargo, in the early 1990s, led to the surge of growth and development that knows no end.

South of Ho Chi Minh City, in what was once rice paddy, is now "Saigon South," a completely new, modern city full of high rises, four-lane highways, parks, universities, economic-development zones, a modern container port and everything else that’s required for a metropolis. This level of development has spread throughout old Saigon and all of its suburbs - in fact, throughout the country.

Still undeveloped canal and cargo boat in the new city, Saigon South.

Presently, the per capita income in Ho Chi Minh City is $5,131 (U.S.).  In 1976, it was $360.  The city accounted for 20 percent of the country’s GDP and 30 percent of the government revenues this past year.  With nearly 1,500 schools, it has been able to offer universal secondary education.  The health-care system is vastly improved, with 105 hospitals in use, totaling 34,000 beds.

Forty years ago, this country was on its back with more than 30 million bomb craters, the result of the heaviest bombing in history.  Much of the country was poisoned by the infamous chemical spray "Agent Orange."  Ninety percent of the houses in the countryside had been burned.  The war dead numbered between 4 million and 5 million in a combined population of 30 million.

From that carnage and destruction, Vietnam today is rapidly becoming a first-world country.

War correspondents from the Vietnam War days would not recognize their old haunt, the bar on top of the Caravelle Hotel.  The entertainment hails from Cuba, and it’s the best show in Saigon.  The hottest, most musical female singing trio this city has seen has been drawing crowds for three years now in this venue, and no end seems in sight.

*A version of this article appeared in the Press Republican on May 7, 2015.