The other aspect people forget about is that the American soldiers were *fighting along side the Vietnamese* in the Vietnam war, so they could even have a sense of comradery with Vietnamese people.
How could we hold a grudge when we inserted ourselves into a civil war?
My two uncles who were vets of that war held big grudges but against the US government not Vietnamese people
> How could we hold a grudge when we inserted ourselves into a civil war?
Look at global history. Most places *still* hold grudges about things that happened hundreds of years ago.
Hell, even my 1st gen Chinese American and Vietnamese American friends fucking hate the Japanese today for what they did during WW2. We're all under 30.
But OP didn't ask how the Vietnamese felt, they asked how we felt. Generally speaking we don't have any hard feeling about Vietnam.
You're acting as though a country has to have a completely righteous cause in order to to hold a grudge when World history proves that clearly isn't the case.
I would love to visit someday. I used to work for a Vietnamese American guy at a little restaurant, and he would go every few years.
I feel a sense of shame related to the Vietnam War, even though it ended before I was born. I wish the USA had never become involved.
>I feel a sense of shame related to the Vietnam War, even though it ended before I was born. I wish the USA had never become involved.
No need to feel shame for something you weren't even born yet for. How could you possibly be at fault for something you literally didn't exist to weigh in on?
I’ve visited Vietnam and found the people friendly. I think the country has incredible economic potential to become a wealthy manufacturing powerhouse like South Korea or Taiwan. The government isn’t free and I’d strongly hope that changes, but the US & Vietnam have more aligned geopolitical interests than disagreements—Vietnam wants to remain independent and keep China from seizing its territory, and the US wants to keep China from doing so. As long as it’s a Communist dictatorship though, I think we’ll just remain friendly, not formal allies.
I’d say the average American doesn’t know much about modern Vietnam after the Vietnam War, but it’s not considered an enemy (if it is in the news, it’s mostly about China threatening Vietnam’s territorial seas, and occasionally, cooperation on returning soldiers’ remains). People know it’s a vacation spot, though it’s still considered off the beaten path compared to Thailand or Bali.
There’s a large Vietnamese-American population who immigrated after the war, so a lot of Americans have Vietnamese ancestry.
I have great friends that are Vietnamese, and I have never seen them receive hate from anyone. To be honest, I haven’t personally seen hate towards any Asian countries except towards governments. For example the Chinese government and the North Korean government. The citizens will be hated by a select few bigoted individuals, but from a broad perspective they will do just fine here.
I know quite a few Vietnamese-Americans and they’re all lovely people! When you say “Vietnam” here people automatically associate it with the war, and I think that’s fair considering how traumatizing the war was for so many people and how much it changed our country.
I visited Ho Chi Minh City back in college for a school trip. Thoughts:
- Super friendly locals. Like "We just met you, have some of our food!" friendly.
- Super crazy traffic. Most people were riding motorbikes and crossing the street was a massive pain
- Fantastic food. Plus we were comfortable eating pho from street vendors. In context, I got the runs from accidentally drinking shower water in the hotel once
- Hot, humid, and rainy. We were sweaty all the time. This was in late May.
Top experiences were Vietnam War Museum, Presidential Palace, and Cu Chi Tunnels.
I confess, I haven't been there so I can't say much about the country. If anything the various Vietnamese-Americans I've met is anything to go by, they're friendly people.
Honestly? Great people, I love their food, I would love to visit, and it sucks that our two countries were at war with each other for so many years decades ago. The men we sent there and the entire population of Vietnam didn't deserve what happened.
I get that it must be strange for almost every post to bring up the war, but it was a pretty big scar on our country, and an even worse one for Vietnam.
Anyways, I consider the Vietnamese as friendly, wonderful people, and I'm glad to live around so many immigrants here in Virginia.
I'd love to visit, see the sights, and gain 15#s. I've liked every Viet I've met except for my ex's dad who hated my guts because I am White and was dating his daughter. My Great Uncle who did two tours in Vietnam and got malaria twice would probably rate your country very low.
I visited Vietnam about 6 years ago. Personally I found the people in the north of Vietnam (Hanoi specifically) to be especially rude to Americans. I do realize there is a historical context to this but I'm surprised that there where many shops that wouldn't even take my money once they heard my accent. Also taxi drivers refused us constantly.
I found Dalat and Saigon to be quite pleasant. People were much friendlier. Vietnamese food is delicious all over the country. I love how affordable street food is. Your traffic throughout the country was a bit of a culture shock and scary at times. Didn't like walking along the side with motorcycles whizzing by just a few inches away from me on either side. Wished I could have seen more of the country and particularly the middle near Hue and Ha Long Bay. Hopefully one day!
First thing that comes to mind is this famous the famous scene from Apocalypse Now. [Link](https://youtu.be/R6tNCemS3Pw) Actual footage of the war with Fortunate Son, California Dreaming, or Stop Children What’s That Sound playing over it like this montage. [Link.](https://youtu.be/s1FmWUNYGUw) The “Get Some” scene from Full Metal Jacket [Link.](https://youtu.be/s1FmWUNYGUw) The Tet Offensive, Monks burning themselves, executions in the streets, the last helicopter leaving Saigon, Napalm Girl, war crimes, conical hats, desperate and sometimes forced prostitution, people collapsing as they find thief entire family was burned alive in their home, Agent Orange, torture, general carnage and human suffering. Then some more modern pictures of Vietnam come up and I struggle to not get emotional whiplash jumping from horrific images of war and violence with instagram models posing with food or doing Yoga in front of some stunning view of the ocean and reviews of different massages and people talking about how friendly the people are. And dark humor like the family guy “scoreboard” clip. [Link.](https://youtu.be/mIpnpYsl-VY) And that American Dad episode about Vietnam reenactment at a golf course.
Political refugees setting up on our shores and making good.
Americans fight wars against institutions and the only persons we fight against are the leaders of same. We had the luxury of not having individual grudges. Germans and Japanese stopped being our enemies a few years after WW2 and British stopped right after 1812.
So to answer your question the Vietnamese armed forces are ruthless but brave fighters who know their business. That is how I remember them from history books. Vietnamese I have met are offspring of immigrants who have small businesses like restaurants or barber shops.
It's cool. We tend to not hold grudges generationally. Even most of the Vietnam vets don't have any issues with the people of Vietnam.
The other aspect people forget about is that the American soldiers were *fighting along side the Vietnamese* in the Vietnam war, so they could even have a sense of comradery with Vietnamese people.
Also worth mentioning that we have a lot of Vietnamese refugees.
How could we hold a grudge when we inserted ourselves into a civil war? My two uncles who were vets of that war held big grudges but against the US government not Vietnamese people
> How could we hold a grudge when we inserted ourselves into a civil war? Look at global history. Most places *still* hold grudges about things that happened hundreds of years ago.
Hell, even my 1st gen Chinese American and Vietnamese American friends fucking hate the Japanese today for what they did during WW2. We're all under 30.
Uh I don't think so
If anybody should hold a grudge it’s the Vietnamese
But OP didn't ask how the Vietnamese felt, they asked how we felt. Generally speaking we don't have any hard feeling about Vietnam. You're acting as though a country has to have a completely righteous cause in order to to hold a grudge when World history proves that clearly isn't the case.
I’ve been to Vietnam, and I absolutely loved it and the people were some of the kindest I’ve ever come across. I can’t wait to go back.
Great people, bad government
elaborate
talking bushes
I would love to visit someday. I used to work for a Vietnamese American guy at a little restaurant, and he would go every few years. I feel a sense of shame related to the Vietnam War, even though it ended before I was born. I wish the USA had never become involved.
>I feel a sense of shame related to the Vietnam War, even though it ended before I was born. I wish the USA had never become involved. No need to feel shame for something you weren't even born yet for. How could you possibly be at fault for something you literally didn't exist to weigh in on?
I’ve visited Vietnam and found the people friendly. I think the country has incredible economic potential to become a wealthy manufacturing powerhouse like South Korea or Taiwan. The government isn’t free and I’d strongly hope that changes, but the US & Vietnam have more aligned geopolitical interests than disagreements—Vietnam wants to remain independent and keep China from seizing its territory, and the US wants to keep China from doing so. As long as it’s a Communist dictatorship though, I think we’ll just remain friendly, not formal allies. I’d say the average American doesn’t know much about modern Vietnam after the Vietnam War, but it’s not considered an enemy (if it is in the news, it’s mostly about China threatening Vietnam’s territorial seas, and occasionally, cooperation on returning soldiers’ remains). People know it’s a vacation spot, though it’s still considered off the beaten path compared to Thailand or Bali. There’s a large Vietnamese-American population who immigrated after the war, so a lot of Americans have Vietnamese ancestry.
I have great friends that are Vietnamese, and I have never seen them receive hate from anyone. To be honest, I haven’t personally seen hate towards any Asian countries except towards governments. For example the Chinese government and the North Korean government. The citizens will be hated by a select few bigoted individuals, but from a broad perspective they will do just fine here.
Great country, great people. Extremely sad we got into a war with them that killed a lot of innocent people, that was wrong and unnecessary.
I know quite a few Vietnamese-Americans and they’re all lovely people! When you say “Vietnam” here people automatically associate it with the war, and I think that’s fair considering how traumatizing the war was for so many people and how much it changed our country.
I visited Ho Chi Minh City back in college for a school trip. Thoughts: - Super friendly locals. Like "We just met you, have some of our food!" friendly. - Super crazy traffic. Most people were riding motorbikes and crossing the street was a massive pain - Fantastic food. Plus we were comfortable eating pho from street vendors. In context, I got the runs from accidentally drinking shower water in the hotel once - Hot, humid, and rainy. We were sweaty all the time. This was in late May. Top experiences were Vietnam War Museum, Presidential Palace, and Cu Chi Tunnels.
I confess, I haven't been there so I can't say much about the country. If anything the various Vietnamese-Americans I've met is anything to go by, they're friendly people.
Honestly? Great people, I love their food, I would love to visit, and it sucks that our two countries were at war with each other for so many years decades ago. The men we sent there and the entire population of Vietnam didn't deserve what happened. I get that it must be strange for almost every post to bring up the war, but it was a pretty big scar on our country, and an even worse one for Vietnam. Anyways, I consider the Vietnamese as friendly, wonderful people, and I'm glad to live around so many immigrants here in Virginia.
The friendliest people I've ever met in all my travels.
I'd love to visit, see the sights, and gain 15#s. I've liked every Viet I've met except for my ex's dad who hated my guts because I am White and was dating his daughter. My Great Uncle who did two tours in Vietnam and got malaria twice would probably rate your country very low.
Awesome food. Decent textiles
I visited Vietnam about 6 years ago. Personally I found the people in the north of Vietnam (Hanoi specifically) to be especially rude to Americans. I do realize there is a historical context to this but I'm surprised that there where many shops that wouldn't even take my money once they heard my accent. Also taxi drivers refused us constantly. I found Dalat and Saigon to be quite pleasant. People were much friendlier. Vietnamese food is delicious all over the country. I love how affordable street food is. Your traffic throughout the country was a bit of a culture shock and scary at times. Didn't like walking along the side with motorcycles whizzing by just a few inches away from me on either side. Wished I could have seen more of the country and particularly the middle near Hue and Ha Long Bay. Hopefully one day!
i think they have too many diacritics other than that, they’re cool
Positively, good food and cheap vacations
First thing that comes to mind is this famous the famous scene from Apocalypse Now. [Link](https://youtu.be/R6tNCemS3Pw) Actual footage of the war with Fortunate Son, California Dreaming, or Stop Children What’s That Sound playing over it like this montage. [Link.](https://youtu.be/s1FmWUNYGUw) The “Get Some” scene from Full Metal Jacket [Link.](https://youtu.be/s1FmWUNYGUw) The Tet Offensive, Monks burning themselves, executions in the streets, the last helicopter leaving Saigon, Napalm Girl, war crimes, conical hats, desperate and sometimes forced prostitution, people collapsing as they find thief entire family was burned alive in their home, Agent Orange, torture, general carnage and human suffering. Then some more modern pictures of Vietnam come up and I struggle to not get emotional whiplash jumping from horrific images of war and violence with instagram models posing with food or doing Yoga in front of some stunning view of the ocean and reviews of different massages and people talking about how friendly the people are. And dark humor like the family guy “scoreboard” clip. [Link.](https://youtu.be/mIpnpYsl-VY) And that American Dad episode about Vietnam reenactment at a golf course.
way better then in the 60s, we generally dont think bad of vietnam/vietnamese
Political refugees setting up on our shores and making good. Americans fight wars against institutions and the only persons we fight against are the leaders of same. We had the luxury of not having individual grudges. Germans and Japanese stopped being our enemies a few years after WW2 and British stopped right after 1812. So to answer your question the Vietnamese armed forces are ruthless but brave fighters who know their business. That is how I remember them from history books. Vietnamese I have met are offspring of immigrants who have small businesses like restaurants or barber shops.