Kannan outside the Basillica, modeled after the Notre Dame in France
This is a revisit of Ho Chi Minh city, which I did with my colleague Kannan last year, sometime in May if I recall correctly. This was the 2nd visit for me, and I noticed that while the traffic was just as horrible as the first time around, there was evidence of more high end cars such as the Porsches and Mercedes Sports cabriolets.
The country has developed very quickly after the 1997 Asian Crisis, whereby the Military Government has allowed lassaisz faire business to operate in a free market fashion.There are many tourist attractions in and around Ho Chi Minh city, such as the Banh Tenh market, the Cu Chi Tunnels which housed the Freedom Fighters or Viet Cong, the monuments celebrating Marxism and the Reunification Palace (see below).
The people of Vietnam are a proud people, and history will show that they won the war against the major superpower of the day, USA, against superior technology, firepower,chemical weaponry and sometimes downright genocide. As stated so eloquently by Marlon Brando in his epic Apocalypse Now, he said something to this effect :
" the side which can embrace the horrors of the war will win "
War is dirty, horrific and tragic. Whoever can break through the psychological barrier of sanity and embrace or accept the insanity of the deeds done, even though their are many Rules of Engagement during war, as stated in the Geneva Convention, will ultimately prevail.
After my last visit to Ho Chi Minh, and visiting the Vietnam War Museum, viewing the horrific torture chambers and prisons which the US army had and illtreated the Vietcong, all in the name of 'freedom and democracy', I had a major paradigm shift, or an 'Ah Ha !' moment.
In the name of freedom and democracy,there are countries controlling other smaller ones for their ultimate political,social or business agendas. Its never about 'democrary' or 'freedom', unfortunately.
Look at the USA, it is technically bankrupt, its leaders are chosen from bipartisan parties either the Republican or the Democrat Party, and the leaders have to make good on the promises they gave to their backers who funded them during the election run-up. Is this a good thing ? Definately not. They may even push though populist policies which seem good for the short run, and in the long run bankrupt the country.
The USA is a dangerous and degenerating place, in certain states, it is legal to bear arms or carry weapons to protect oneself, in the name of freedom. So if everyone is packing a weapon, what happens when a heated argument occurs, or when someone loses his cool, or snaps ? There are many cases of young teenagers killing dozens of schoolmates, senseless, all in the name of Freedom. Remember Virginia Tech, the Asian schoolboy with a crazy attitude, and went out to massacre close to 30 students. Do you see anything remotely similar in any other 'less free' country ??
Gangs still rule in many cities, homeless people are everywhere, there are Tent Cities, Food Kitchens, Occupy Main Street, jobless MBA graduates, entire neighbourhoods burned down by the banks who have reposessed the entire block and not finding any buyers, decided to tear down everything, and leave the ground bare, else, there will be destitute people breaking in and squatting. The amount of people moving in a downward spiral runs into the tens of millions, generations after generations have lesser and lesser oportunities of breaking out of the poverty cycle. What is wrong with this society ?
Plenty - see above.
Vietnam is still run by communist leaders. People are generally happy, there is little or no beggars in the city. There is enough food to feed everyone, it is safe to walk the streets at night. People are generally happy, prosperity is coming to the citites. What is wrong with this system ? 30 odd years later ?
Nothing.
Do not believe what you read in the popular 'news'. Who is running it and what are their agendas ?? Think carefully.
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