I am at a Tet festival in Austin today with my son who has a friend who is Vietamese.

There are soldiers from the US, ARVN, and Communists former troops all in the same building. Pretty interesting to see all shaking hands.

Didn't mean the thumbs down

I didn't know we had that many former NVA or VC in the US.

I'm not surprised to see the mutual respect. I think it's pretty common for warriors to eventually reconcile with the other guys who were also just fighting for their side.

Years ago, I participated in numerous mission trips that had us helping a man that worked for political and religious refugees. One year, two guys lived on and managed the properties we worked at. One was an officer in Batista's army and the other for Castro. I barely understood Spanish but I recognized guys talking **** to each other in any language.

It just shocked me for them to be in Uniform. The North Vietamese former soldiers had a Ho Chi Minh patch on their shoulder.

It looked like a very tight community but were pretty unfriendly except for a few to the non Vietamese.
One lady explained to me that the Vietamese are used to crowds so pushing thru is common.

The women though were pretty dang good looking. Even the older ladies. I can see Why some of our boys married them.

The Fall Guy said:

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It just shocked me for them to be in Uniform. The North Vietamese former soldiers had a Ho Chi Minh patch on their shoulder.

It looked like a very tight community but were pretty unfriendly except for a few to the non Vietamese.
One lady explained to me that the Vietamese are used to crowds so pushing thru is common.

The women though were pretty dang good looking. Even the older ladies. I can see Why some of our boys married them.

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Are the "North Vietnamese" communists residents of the USA now, or just visiting? Either way, I'd think if you told them 50 years ago they'd eventually come to the USA for fun...wow.

I didn't ask but they were in their 60s to 70s it looked like.

It was sponsored by HEB and the City of Austin cultural center.

There were younger men and women it looked to be in more recent military garb with the current Vietamese flag also

I visited Vietnam last year and it was an amazing trip I highly recommend. Ha Long Bay is one of the most amazing sights you can see anywhere in the world. Our tour guide around Hanoi was ex-VC. He was very anti-Communist and pro-Western. He said within two or three years of the Communists taking over he/they new they had been sold a bill of goods. The suffering and starvation in those years after the American left was terrible. He was very pro-American and particularly respected John McCain. He still showed great reverence for Uncle Ho but otherwise hated everything Communist. He really, really, really hated China. I made the mistake of using the term "China Beach" and he got very upset with me.

I have heard and read that from several varied places. I have read that most of the Vietnamese especially younger ages are very very pro America. Really interesting to me how that happens.

JonSnow said:

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I visited Vietnam last year and it was an amazing trip I highly recommend. Ha Long Bay is one of the most amazing sights you can see anywhere in the world. Our tour guide around Hanoi was ex-VC. He was very anti-Communist and pro-Western. He said within two or three years of the Communists taking over he/they new they had been sold a bill of goods. The suffering and starvation in those years after the American left was terrible. He was very pro-American and particularly respected John McCain. He still showed great reverence for Uncle Ho but otherwise hated everything Communist. He really, really, really hated China. I made the mistake of using the term "China Beach" and he got very upset with me.

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China almost invaded Vietnam after we left. Would love to have some history on that.

My wife won't go because they eat dog. I told her it's nothing new there..

AgBQ-00 said:

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I have heard and read that from several varied places. I have read that most of the Vietnamese especially younger ages are very very pro America. Really interesting to me how that happens.

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I have an older sister who has traveled extensively to Asia, including two trips to Vietnam. She noted the same thing. Evidently the "American War" is ancient history to the younger Vietnamese. Kind of remarkable, considering the tons of ordinance we dropped on that country and the number of Vietnamese casualties (North and South), particularly as a percentage of the population.

But then again, I have the hunch that China has always been their longtime arch enemy.