On Wednesday, Vietnam celebrated 50 years since the war with the United States ended and their modern country began. They had a military parade and talked about a peaceful future.

On April 30, 1975, the city of Saigon was taken. This meant the war in Vietnam was over. Before this, Vietnam was split into two parts: the North was communist, and the South was helped by the U.S. After the war, the main leader of Vietnam told people that the country had become more together over the past years.

To Lam, the leader of the Communist Party in Vietnam, said that all Vietnamese people come from Vietnam. He said they have the right to live and work freely in this country, and they can be happy and love freely.

He also said, "We want to forget the past, respect different ideas, and plan for the future. The party, the people, and the army promise to make Vietnam a country that is peaceful, united, rich, and growing."

Thousands of people slept in tents in the city that was once called Saigon. They did this so they could get a good view of the parade. Many people stayed on the streets later in the day. They ate food outside and waited for shows with drones and fireworks in the evening.

You could see the red and yellow of Vietnam's flag everywhere in the city. It was on buildings, on people's faces, and on T-shirts. People from all over the country had come to the city and were showing the flag.

"Now is the time for peace," commented Nguyen Thi Hue, a city resident who was observing. "Peace is the aspiration shared by people all over the world."

One float had the mythical Lac bird. This bird is a symbol of Vietnam. Another float showed a picture of Ho Chi Minh.

Soldiers from China, Laos, and Cambodia walked after the Vietnamese soldiers. Some wore uniforms like those worn by North Vietnamese soldiers in the war. Helicopters with the flag and airplanes flew over the parade near Independence Palace. This is where a tank broke through the gate on the last day of the war.

Many people gathered outside the barriers and on streets with big screens to see the event. People held up their phones and watched with big eyes, waving and cheering for the soldiers as they walked past. At the same time, people at home watched the event on their televisions.

Next to the leader of Vietnam were the former leader of Cambodia, Hun Sen, and the leader of Laos, Thongloun Sisoulith.

To Lam said winning in Saigon was a great event that finished a 30-year fight for freedom.

He said Vietnam is important in the world today because the Soviet Union and China helped it. Laos and Cambodia were also friends with Vietnam. He said people around the world, including in the U.S., who wanted good things to happen also helped Vietnam.

An expert said Vietnam is now focusing on peace, not just winning wars. This shows how Vietnam is changing with the world. He said the Vietnam War is important for the government's power. It shows they won and the country was together. But another person said making peace is still not finished.

Giang said the war still shows Vietnam is united, but also divided.

Pham Ngoc Son fought in the war for Vietnam. He says that today, Vietnam and the U.S. should only have peace and be friends.

The 69-year-old man, who served as an army truck driver during the war, said the conflict ended a long time ago. He transported soldiers and supplies from the north to the south using the Ho Chi Minh trail, which was a secret supply route used by North Vietnam.

This year is also 30 years since Vietnam and the U.S. became friends officially.

In 2023, Vietnam and the U.S. made their relationship better. They became "comprehensive strategic partners." This is the best kind of relationship Vietnam has with any country. It is the same good relationship Vietnam has with China and Russia.

But there are new problems with the United States. President Donald Trump put high taxes on goods from other countries and stopped giving a lot of money for help. This has made it difficult to fix problems from the war in Vietnam.

Officials in Vietnam say their relationship with the U.S. is good because America is helping with problems from the war, like Agent Orange and bombs that are still dangerous in the countryside.

It is not clear what will happen with those projects now because the Trump government has given less money to USAID.

Also, the country sells many things to other countries. This makes it weak in the world economy because of Trump's plans for taxes on imports.

Vietnam had to pay extra taxes of 46%, which was very high.

She said that being friends with the US helped Vietnam have better relations with its bigger and stronger neighbor, China.

Vietnam and the Philippines have problems with China about who owns parts of the sea.

If the U.S. cares more about money and business than about power, countries in Southeast Asia like Vietnam might not be as important for the U.S.

She said it will depend on how the new government sees the important area of the Indo-Pacific and where countries like Vietnam fit.

A spokeswoman in Washington did not want to talk about reports that diplomats were told not to go to events.

The US Embassy in Hanoi said that Susan Burns, the US consul in Ho Chi Minh City, was at the event. The US ambassador, Marc E. Knapper, was not there.

Approximately 13,000 individuals participated in the parade, including military personnel, veterans, and local residents. The parade route began on the main boulevard, leading towards the Independence Palace, before turning onto various city streets and passing the U.S. Consulate.

A video of Chinese soldiers singing a famous song was shared a lot online.