Vietnam had a big party on Wednesday. It was 50 years after the war with the US finished.

Saigon fell on April 30, 1975. This was the end of the war. Vietnam was one country again. Before, it was North and South. The leader said the country was now together.

All people from Vietnam are Vietnamese. They can live and work in Vietnam. They can also be happy and love freely there.

He said, "We want Vietnam to be a country of peace and unity."

Many people stayed in the streets all night to see the parade. They also stayed in the afternoon for picnics and shows.

The city was full of red and yellow. The flag of Vietnam is red and yellow. You could see the flag on buildings, on faces, and on T-shirts. People came from all over Vietnam.

"Now it's time for peace," said Nguyen Thi Hue. "Peace is something everyone in the world wants."

One float had a bird from stories, a sign of Vietnam. Another float had a picture of Ho Chi Minh.

Soldiers from China, Laos, and Cambodia walked behind Vietnamese soldiers. Some wore uniforms like the soldiers from North Vietnam during the war. Helicopters with the flag and jet planes flew over the parade near Independence Palace. A tank broke the gate there on the last day of the war.

Many people watched outside near the street. They saw the soldiers marching. Some people watched on big screens in the street. People were happy and cheered loudly for the soldiers. People at home watched on TV.

Hun Sen from Cambodia and Thongloun Sisoulith from Laos sat next to the leader of Vietnam.

Lam said the win in Saigon was a big moment. It stopped a 30-year fight for freedom. This fight started with the French.

He said Vietnam is strong today because other countries helped it.

A man said Vietnam wants peace now, not war like before.

Giang said the war still makes Vietnam one country, but there are still problems.

Pham Ngoc Son was a soldier in the war. He thinks the US and Vietnam should be friends now. He says there is only room for peace.

"The war finished a long time before," said the old man.

This year, Vietnam and the U.S. are friends for 30 years.

In 2023, Vietnam and the U.S. became very good friends. Their friendship is now the best, like with China and Russia.

But now there are problems between them because the president made taxes higher and stopped some help for other countries.

Vietnam says the U.S. helps with problems from the war, like bombs and chemicals.

Those projects may stop because the USA gives less help.

Also, the country sells many things to other countries. But it is not safe because of plans for new taxes on goods from other countries.

Vietnam had to pay much more money for goods, 46% more. This was very expensive.

She said Vietnam and the US were good friends. This helped Vietnam with China. China is a very big and strong country.

Vietnam and the Philippines have problems with China about the sea.

If the U.S. only thinks about money, countries like Vietnam may not be as important.

This shows how the new government thinks about the Indo-Pacific area and where Vietnam is important.

A woman from the government did not want to say if people were told not to go to parties.

Susan Burns from the U.S. was at the event. The U.S. ambassador was not there.

About 13,000 people were in the parade. Soldiers and people from the city walked. The parade went on the main street to the big building. Then, it went on other streets and passed the American house.

A video of soldiers singing a famous song was on the internet.