HCM City (VNA) - Former international war correspondents who once covered the war in Vietnam, alongside overseas Vietnamese reporters and former domestic war correspondents, gathered in Ho Chi Minh City on April 27 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification (April 30, 1975 – 2025).
Throughout the exchange, the reporters, despite having ever come from the two opposing sides, shared a common story about their love for the country and the people of Vietnam.
Tom Fox, former reporter for The New York Times and TIME magazine, impressed attendees by recounting his personal experiences in fluent Vietnamese. In 1966, upon reaching the age of military service, Fox chose not to enlist but instead traveled to Tuy Hoa (Phu Yen province) to volunteer and assist local communities.
During his time in Vietnam, he quickly recognised the true nature of the conflict waged by the US. Determined to tell an honest story, he became a war correspondent, immersed himself in the local culture, and reported firsthand in the Vietnamese language. Fox later married a woman from Can Tho and proudly retains a warm, southern Vietnamese accent to this day.
Revolutionary writer and journalist Doan Minh Tuan, now 94 years old, served as a war correspondent from 1961 until reunification. Having fought against both French and American forces, and having participated in the historic Ho Chi Minh Campaign, he emphasised the lasting friendship between the Vietnamese people and American peace advocates. He expressed profound gratitude for the solidarity shown by American citizens and journalists who stood for peace. Tuan highlighted Vietnam’s enduring commitment to national reconciliation, likening it to the "bamboo diplomacy" philosophy, where, no matter how fierce the storm, the bamboo bends but does not break.
Edith Madelen Ledever, a former Associated Press (AP) correspondent assigned to cover the war in Vietnam from 1972 to 1973, has returned to Vietnam numerous times to mark major anniversaries since the end of the war. Each time, she said, she has been astonished by the country’s remarkable transformation and development. Ledever praised the Vietnamese people's friendliness, hospitality, and willingness to shelve the pain and resentment of the past to pursue a future of modernisation and progress.
Though each correspondent had their own story, all shared a deep affection for Vietnam. This reunion of international and domestic war correspondents, held on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the country’s reunification, served once again to highlight the enduring value of peace, reconciliation, and Vietnam’s heartfelt gratitude to international friends who supported the country during its most difficult times./.
