Vietnam War or the American War ... Saigon or Ho Chi Minh City?
A quick look at Vietnam yesterday and today

The Vietnam War is fixed in the American consciousness. It defined a generation, polarizing the United States into the camps of pro- and anti-war. In Vietnam, the conflict has always been known as the American War, a term increasing in use internationally. At Vietnam Oasis, we have chosen to combine both words, and use the unambiguous term AmerViet War to describe the series of military and political actions which defined the US-Vietnam dynamic during that most interesting of eras.

Today, Vietnamese are taught in schools the value of forgiving, while remembering the lessons of the past. Vietnamese all over the country welcome Americans with open arms. Increasing numbers of American veterans are returning to Vietnam to rekindle old friendships, and meet old adversaries in an effort to revisit elements of the past. There have been many stories about old enemies meeting over tea or a beer, and recognizing that, through their participation in the same conflict, they have lives, joys, pains, and reminiscences in common. It's common to see U.S. vets visiting Vietnam's war museums, seeing the conflict through the eyes of today's Vietnam.

Ho Chi Minh City was the name given to Saigon after the war. In the south, the name Saigon, referring to the metropolitan area, never went out of common usage. Today, the northern Vietnamese, while referring to the city by its new name, still refer to Saigon as the area of HCM City encompassing District 1, the commercial heart of the city. Vietnam Oasis uses Saigon to describe the entire metro area and its districts, in common with the southern usage. Savvy visitors will refer to the city as Ho Chi Minh City when traveling in the north, understanding the value of political expediency.

Many consider that Vietnam's new post-war era began with Party General Secretary Nguyen Van Linh, who, in 1985, spearheaded a "return the land" policy which allowed private farmers to own land that had previously been requisitioned by the government. He also established an Open Door Policy that invited Westerners to visit Vietnam, to view first-hand the country and people.

People living in Vietnam today are understandably rankled when South Vietnamese expats living in other countries hoist the old flag of South Vietnam in Western cities, or fund mini-insurrections in Vietnam, futily trying to rekindle a war that was fought and lost over thirty years ago.

Vietnam today is a country moving to establish increasingly closer relationships with the West, a fact readily apparent to any traveler interacting with the friendly people of Vietnam. Most tour guides we've met have taken guide courses sponsored by the Vietnamese government, and enjoy dialogue with Western travelers over topics such as the modernization of Vietnam, the Communist Party, and recent wars with France, the United States, Cambodia, and China.