President Luong Cuong's meeting with Vietnam–U.S. veterans embodies the unifying strength of peace, compassion, and reconciliation
WVR - President Luong Cuong stressed the story of reconciliation and healing between Vietnam and the US as a vivid testament to the power of compassion at a meeting in New York with Vietnamese and US war veterans.
Veterans emerging from the war have chosen conscience and extended the first bridges for reconciliation between Vietnam and the United States.
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| President Luong Cuong meets with Vietnam and U.S. veterans. (Photo: Hoang Hong) |
On September 22, local time, during his participation in the 80th United Nations General Assembly High-Level General Debate and bilateral activities in the United States, President Luong Cuong met with Vietnam and U.S. veterans.
Choosing conscience to bridge reconciliation
At the meeting, President Luong Cuong recalled that 30 years ago, on July 11, 1995, Prime Minister Vo Van Kiet and U.S. President Bill Clinton announced the normalization of bilateral relations. In August 1995, the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi and the Embassy of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in Washington were established.
Since then, through the efforts of both sides, Vietnam-U.S. relations have continued to develop, and today the two countries have become Comprehensive Strategic Partners.
The President expressed pride in the significant achievements in bilateral relations and, above all, the right choices made in nurturing Vietnam-U.S. relations.
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| President Luong Cuong speaks at the meeting. (Photo: Hoang Hong) |
The war took too much from both the Vietnamese and American peoples, leaving unfinished dreams and haunting memories. The Vietnamese people, with compassion and forgiveness, have chosen to set aside the painful past and look to the future; to forgive but not forget. “I believe that future generations of Vietnam and the United States will build an era of peace, cooperation, development, and mutual respect,” the President stated.
The President noted that in the United States, veterans emerging from the war have chosen conscience and extended hands to Vietnam to build the first bridges for healing and reconciliation between the two nations.
On this occasion, the President welcomed and highly appreciated the recent support and continued implementation of war aftermath projects in Vietnam by the Trump Administration.
Recalling the great President Ho Chi Minh’s desire in his 1946 letter to President Truman for a “full cooperation” relationship with the United States, President Luong Cuong remarked that 30 years ago, even the most optimistic could not imagine how Vietnam and the United States could overcome the pain of war to build and develop such a strong and positive relationship as today.
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| The President believes that Vietnamese and U.S. veterans, will continue to support the stable and increasingly positive development of the Vietnam-U.S. Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. (Photo: Hoang Hong) |
While history cannot be rewritten, with goodwill and effort, Vietnam and the United States have together built a bright future. According to the President, the story of healing and reconciliation between the two countries is a vivid testament to the power of compassion, showing that no hatred is eternal, no wound cannot be healed if we open our hearts and look to the future.
The Head of state expressed gratitude to all veterans and American friends who have supported Vietnam over the decades. It is also a tribute to historical figures, leaders of both countries through different periods, the “icebreakers” of bilateral relations from both sides, such as the late Prime Minister Vo Van Kiet, the late Foreign Minister Nguyen Co Thach, the late Senator John McCain, Senator John Kerry, and many others. It is also a tribute to the American people who once took to the streets in cities like New York, Chicago, Washington D.C., to protest the war, to the veterans who always sought to heal the war wounds deeply etched in both nations, and to many others – those silent figures whose faces and names we have yet to fully know.
The President is confident that with open hearts and friendship, Vietnamese and U.S. veterans will continue to contribute to nurturing the stable and increasingly positive development of the Vietnam-U.S. Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
Continuing the journey of healing
At the meeting, Vietnamese and U.S. veterans shared stories of the past, the journey of healing war wounds, and expressed a desire to leave the past behind, cherish what has passed, and look towards a brighter future.
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| Lieutenant General Phung Khac Dang, former Deputy Director of the General Political Department of the Vietnam People's Army, speaks at the meeting. (Photo: Hoang Hong) |
Lieutenant General Phung Khac Dang, former Deputy Director of the General Political Department of the Vietnam People's Army; Lieutenant General, Hero of the People's Armed Forces Nguyen Van Phiet, former Deputy Commander of the Air Defense-Air Force; Colonel, Hero of the People's Armed Forces Tu De, pilot of the Victory Squadron, Regiment 923, Division 371… shared their wartime experiences, stories from insiders; above all, the spirit of compassion, from which they clearly saw the brutality and great loss of the war in Vietnam, while affirming the desire that it never repeats, emphasizing the role of justice and morality to avoid misunderstandings for future generations.
The veterans expressed their hope that the spirit of reconciliation and compassion will spread widely within the governments and peoples of both countries, based on mutual respect, equality, and understanding, to leave the past behind and look to the future.
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| U.S. veteran John Terzano shared emotional stories at the meeting. (Photo: Hoang Hong) |
From the U.S. veterans' side, Mr. John Terzano, along with Senator John Kerry and Bobby Muller, were among the U.S. veterans who returned to Vietnam after the war. He co-founded the organization "Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA-1978) and the Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation (VVAF), as part of efforts to reconcile, lift the embargo, and normalize Vietnam-U.S. relations.
At the meeting, Mr. John Terzano recalled 1972 when he left Vietnam - memories that have always been engraved in his heart. “At that time, leaving Vietnam, I felt happier than ever because it was a place filled with memories of uncomfortable days, memories of a war,” Mr. John Terzano explained.
He said he never expected to return to Vietnam many times after 1972, the first time being in 1981, as part of the first group of American veterans to return. He and his colleague Bobby Muller lobbied the U.S. Government to implement programs supporting veterans exposed to Agent Orange. However, due to a lack of support, they had to come to Vietnam directly to learn and gain experience.
Mr. John Terzano recalled that at that time, Vietnam and the United States had no diplomatic relations, and Washington still imposed an embargo. He and his colleagues returned to Hanoi during Christmas, as veterans who had fought in Vietnam, and had discussions with Foreign Minister Nguyen Co Thach. On the streets, there were many slogans in Vietnamese. As they walked along the streets, people asked if they were American veterans, and upon knowing the answer, everyone warmly said: “Welcome to Vietnam.”
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| President Luong Cuong and delegates witnessed veterans from both countries returning mementos to the families of Vietnamese and U.S. soldiers. (Photo: Hoang Hong) |
Mr. John Terzano emotionally recounted how he and his colleagues were incredibly surprised by the friendliness of the Vietnamese people: “Hadn't we once devastated their country?” From that moment, they realized there was much work to be done to promote reconciliation and lift the embargo – something not yet embraced in the United States at that time.
He noted that American veterans have been persistent in their journey to address the war's aftermath, implementing humanitarian aid, laying the foundation for Vietnam-U.S. relations. According to him, there is no shortcut or simple formula to heal wounds and divisions after prolonged conflict and violence. The important thing is to look back at the past, acknowledge and understand the pain, to overcome it and prevent it from happening again.
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| A relative of a U.S. soldier was moved when receiving the mementos. (Photo: Hoang Hong) |
Veteran John Terzano emphasized that Vietnam-U.S. relations have continuously developed, with both sides becoming Comprehensive Strategic Partners, sending a strong message that despite having experienced war, nations can choose cooperation over division, compassion over hatred.
He shared that for American veterans, returning to Vietnam is an emotional journey, transforming over time from the anger and sorrow of war into reconciliation, peace, justice, and friendship. “Today's meeting is a testament to that transformation,” he said.
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| U.S. veterans return mementos to Vietnamese veterans. (Photo: Hoang Hong) |
However, Mr. John Terzano also emphasized that the journey to address post-war issues is not over, and we are here together continuing on that path, from generation to generation, continuing that journey.
“Well begun is half done,” Mr. John Terzano quoted President Ho Chi Minh to express his hope for a good beginning between the two countries to create a hopeful community.
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| President Luong Cuong with Vietnamese veterans and relatives of U.S. veterans. (Photo: Hoang Hong) |
At the meeting, veterans and their relatives shared the journey of searching, connecting to heal the past; while enjoying heartfelt songs conveying messages of faith and peace, looking towards a better future.
On this occasion, President Luong Cuong and the delegates witnessed a moving exchange as veterans from both nations returned keepsakes, mementos to the families of Vietnamese and US soldiers.
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| President Luong Cuong and delegates take a commemorative photo. (Photo: Hoang Hong) |
