Vietnam marked the 50th anniversary of the culmination of the war with the United States and the establishment of its contemporary state on Wednesday, featuring a military parade and an emphasis on a tranquil future.

When Saigon fell on April 30, 1975, it meant the end of a Vietnam that was split into the communist North and the South, which was allied with the U.S. The country's top leader told the crowds that the past decades had brought more and more unity.

To Lam, the head of the Vietnamese Communist Party, stated that all Vietnamese people come from Vietnam and have the right to live and work, and to seek happiness and love in their country.

He also said that the whole party, the people, and the army promise to work towards a future where Vietnam is peaceful, united, successful, and developing, by moving past the past, respecting different ideas, and looking ahead.

Thousands stayed on the streets of the former South Vietnamese capital, which is now called Ho Chi Minh City after North Vietnamese and Viet Cong soldiers took control, all night to get the best place to see the parade. Many stayed on the streets later in the afternoon and had picnics while they waited for shows with drones and fireworks in the evening.

The red and yellow of Vietnam’s national flag was seen all over the city – flying from buildings, painted on the faces of excited teenagers, and on the T-shirts of people who had come to the city from all over the country.

"The moment for peace has arrived," stated spectator Nguyen Thi Hue, a resident of the city. "Peace represents the universally shared aspiration of individuals worldwide."

A float featured the mythical Lac bird, Vietnam’s national symbol, whilst another displayed a portrait of Ho Chi Minh.

Troops from China, Laos, and Cambodia marched behind Vietnamese soldiers. Some of these soldiers wore uniforms like those worn by North Vietnamese troops in the war. Helicopters with the national flag and jets flew over the parade near Independence Palace. This is where a North Vietnamese tank broke through the gates on the last day of the war.

Spectators immersed themselves in the event, congregating beyond the barriers and at various street intersections where large screens were positioned. With mobiles uplifted and gazes fixed, individuals saluted and applauded the advancing troops, while those indoors clustered around their television sets.

Alongside the Vietnamese leader sat Cambodia's former leader, Hun Sen, and the General Secretary of the Laotian Communist Party, Thongloun Sisoulith.

To Lam said the fall of Saigon was more than just a win against the U.S. and South Vietnam. He called it a "glorious landmark" that finished a 30-year fight for independence, which started with removing French soldiers.

He attributed Vietnam's current global standing to the backing of the Soviet Union, China, and the unity shown by Laos and Cambodia, alongside "progressive" individuals worldwide, including those in the U.S.

Nguyen Khac Giang, an analyst at Singapore’s ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute, said that focusing on reconciliation instead of military victory, as in past years, showed how Vietnam was reacting to changes in the world economy and politics today. He also said the Vietnam War is still very important to how the Communist Party explains its right to rule, seeing it not just as a military win but also as a sign of the country being united. But To Lam’s comments showed that the reconciliation is still not complete.

“The conflict continues to shape Vietnam’s cohesion and persistent divisions,” Giang stated.

For Pham Ngoc Son, a former communist soldier, he believes that "only peace and amity" can now exist between the United States and Vietnam.

"The conflict concluded ages ago," stated the 69-year-old, who had driven army trucks during the war, transporting soldiers and provisions southward from the north via the Ho Chi Minh trail—the clandestine supply network utilised by North Vietnam.

This year commemorates three decades of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and the U.S.

In 2023, Vietnam elevated its diplomatic ties with the U.S. to a comprehensive strategic partnership, conferring upon the U.S. the highest level of relations that Vietnam maintains, placing it on par with the country's relationships with China and Russia.

However, novel indications of friction are apparent in the relationship with Washington, precipitated by President Donald Trump's implementation of substantial tariffs and the significant reduction of foreign aid, which has impacted post-war recovery endeavours in Vietnam.

Vietnamese authorities assert that the relationship with the U.S. is grounded in American endeavours to address war legacies, including Agent Orange contamination and unexploded ordnance in rural areas, which still pose a threat to life.

The future of those projects is now jeopardised due to the extensive reductions in USAID funding enacted by the Trump administration.

Furthermore, the country that depends on exports is unstable in a global economy made weak by Trump's tariff plans.

Vietnam faced substantial reciprocal tariffs of 46%, a particularly high rate, raising significant doubts about the United States' strategic goals in Asia, according to Huong Le-Thu from the International Crisis Group think tank.

She said that in the past, Vietnam used its close relationship with Washington to help balance its relations with its much bigger and stronger neighbor, China.

Vietnam is among the nations, alongside the Philippines, that have engaged in direct confrontations with China concerning disputed maritime claims in the South China Sea.

Prioritising economic over strategic competition could diminish the significance of Vietnam and other Southeast Asian nations to the U.S.

“It will genuinely indicate how the new administration perceives the strategic landscape in the Indo-Pacific and the role countries like Vietnam will play,” she said.

In Washington, State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce on Tuesday declined to address reports suggesting the Trump administration had discouraged diplomats from attending anniversary events.

The Embassy in Hanoi stated that the U.S. Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City, Susan Burns, had been present at the event, while the U.S. Ambassador, Marc E. Knapper, did not attend.

Approximately 13,000 individuals, encompassing military personnel, paramilitary groups, veterans, and civilian residents, participated in the procession. The designated path traversed the principal thoroughfare culminating at the Independence Palace, subsequently diverging into urban avenues and passing the U.S. Consulate.

A video showing Chinese soldiers singing the famous song “As If Uncle Ho Were With Us on Victory Day” during practice was shared a lot online. This happened after China's leader, Xi Jinping, visited Vietnam earlier that month. His visit seemed to be an effort to show China as a stable country, especially when compared to Trump.