“Ho Chi Minh City - Zero Hour” comes alive through the eyes of a Western journalist

The book is nearly 200 pages long, and includes reports from many Western journalists who were directly present in Vietnam during those historic days. They witnessed the Liberation Army marching into the South, carrying with them the steadfast spirit of “the Vietnamese people are one” and the belief in certain victory. They witnessed the chaotic scenes of the evacuation organized by the US, when helicopters followed each other out of Saigon, leaving behind a devastated city. And just a week later, they saw a different Saigon – calm, orderly, and filled with symbols of a new era.

The book vividly recreates the historical moment of the nation. Photo: National Political Publishing House Truth

The highlight of the book is the way the journalists describe the changes in people and atmosphere in the city before and after April 30, 1975. They are the liberation army soldiers in green uniforms and rubber sandals - "Uncle Ho's sandals" talking openly with the people. They are the images of students in white ao dai, mothers, relatives hugging each other and crying on the day of reunion. The people of Saigon, after the first days of anxiety, have returned to their daily lives, even though they know that ahead of them is a challenging journey to rebuild the country.

Besides the stories of each individual, the book reflects a profound truth: Vietnam's victory was not simply the victory of an ideology or a military force, but it was the victory of an entire nation - people who endured too much loss, separation and pain to regain independence and freedom.

The Northern soldiers who went to the South not only regained peace , independence and freedom for the Vietnamese people, but also found their families and relatives who had been separated by war for decades. The moment of meeting parents and siblings again after many years of separation became one of the symbols of peace and national reunification.

From the perspective of outsiders, but with the opportunity to witness historical moments up close, “Ho Chi Minh City - Hour Zero - Reports on the end of the 30-year war” is a valuable documentary book, imbued with the breath of the times.

The book is not only for readers interested in Vietnamese history, but also for those who want to understand more deeply about the transformation of a nation after the war - about the pain, joy and hope for a better future.

Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/thanh-pho-ho-chi-minh-gio-khac-so-0-song-dong-qua-goc-nhin-nha-bao-phuong-tay-699176.html