(VOVworld)- 4 decades on, the Vietnam War is still mentioned admirably by foreign media. Vietnam’s 1975 great Spring victory is seen as the most notable event in Asia in the 1970s, profoundly influencing the region and the world.
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| The people of Saigon welcomed the liberation army (Photo archive: vanhien) |
It’s hard to say the exact number of articles, reports and pictures that were printed or broadcast by foreign media on that historic day, April 30, 1975, and in the 40 years since. But there’s a common view that that day sent a resounding message about a nation undaunted by foreign invaders.
Shaking the world
One day after southern Vietnam was totally liberated, on May 1, 1975, the French News Agency AFP wrote: “In 1975, Vietnam’s April 30 was the most outstanding event. No doubt, this event will have a big impact on the region and the world in the near future”. According to the article, April 30th 1975 was a signal to humankind to do their utmost to prevent future wars. Japan’s Asahi Shimbun newspaper in its May 1, 1975 edition ran an editorial that said: “The Vietnam War ended and the winners were the liberation force. This demonstrates that the era when powerful countries use force to suffocate nationalism has come to an end. 30 years later, the Nikkei in its April 28, 2005, edition republished a photo of the first tank of the liberation army entering the Independence Palace. The newspaper said the Vietnam War has left a deep impression on Americans and had a ripple effect in Indochina.
On April 29, 2010, the Pasason, the mouthpiece of Laos’s Revolutionary Party, carried an article titled “The heroic fighting traditions of the Vietnamese people”, praising the talented leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam and the staunch fighting spirit of the Vietnam people. The paper said the victorious Ho Chi Minh offensive was a historic milestone in the heroic struggle of the army and people of Vietnam and opened a new era of independence, freedom and unification.
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| Tank 390 hit the gate of the Independence Palace at noon April 30 1975 (Photo: Francois de Mulder) |
American media gave wide coverage to a war that cost a lot in lives and property. Under the headlines “Fall of Saigon”, the New York Times on May 1, 1975, ran a series of news stories and photos on the collapse of the Saigon administration and the victory of the Vietnamese revolutionary forces. The paper mentioned the Pentagon’s 70,000 pages of classified documents about the Vietnam War. The Associated Press wrote: “Tanks, armored vehicles and camouflaged trucks of the Liberation Army quickly marched into the Presidential Palace. At that time, General Duong Van Minh announced South Vietnam’s surrender on radio and TV”.
On the night of May 1st 1975, the majority of programs belonging to the 3 major US TV networks broadcast footage of the evacuation of Americans from Saigon the previous day, the last moments of the Vietnam Republican regime and the birth of a new regime in Southern Vietnam.
Marking the 30th anniversary of Vietnam’s unification, the Washington Times issued special edition on Vietnam, highlighting its path of national reform and international integration.
April 30 victory creates historic turning point
Over the past 40 years, international media has continued to praise April 30 as Vietnam’s great anniversary and deserving of world celebration. Vietnam’s victory over the US motivated other nations in their struggles for independence, peace, democracy and social progress. It inspired the fight against imperialism for national liberation and the eradication of neo-colonialism. The April 30 victory opened a new era of independence and reunification for Vietnam, which is now engaged in the renewal process under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam.
The event 40 years ago is cherished in the hearts and minds of Vietnamese and their foreign friends. The historic Ho Chi Minh offensive remains a source of pride and provides momentum for Vietnam’s national construction and defense in the face of numerous challenges.