HCMC Museum Launches Vietnamese Version of “Waging Peace in Vietnam”

At the launching ceremony. Photo: HUFO

The War Remnants Museum in Ho Chi Minh City on March 1 organized a ceremony to launch the publication “Tranh dau cho hoa binh," the Vietnamese version of the book “Waging Peace in Vietnam” which details efforts by US soldiers to oppose and resist the US war in Vietnam.

After six years, the translation and editing process has been completed with the copyright and franchise license of New York-based New Village Press, the War Remnants Museum has cooperated with the HCM City Youth Publishing House did the printing and distribution of the Vietnamese-language publication of “Waging Peace in Vietnam”.

Attending the ceremony were Ton Nu Thi Ninh, former Ambassador of Vietnam to the European Union, Belgium and the Netherlands, Chairwoman of the HCM City Peace & Development Foundation; Director of the HCM City War Remnants Museum Tran Xuan Thao; and Vice Chairman of the HCM City Union of Friendship Organizations (HUFO) Ho Xuan Lam.

For the international guests were Ron Carver, co-editor of the publication "Waging Peace in Vietnam." military photographer Ronald L. Haeberle; John Kent, one of the Navy officers who refused to fly combat missions in Vietnam; and US Navy veterans Tom Wilber.

“Tranh dau cho hoa binh” is the Vietnamese version of the book “Waging peace in Vietnam”. Photo: VNA

At the ceremony, Director of the museum Tran Xuan Thao said that in 2018, the museum held a thematic exhibition on the waves of protest against the unjust American war in Vietnam.

The exhibition was the result of cooperation between the museum and the US Veterans for Peace (VFP), helping Vietnamese and foreigners understand more about the support of the progressive American people, soldiers, and veterans. On display were nearly 80 photos, posters and articles about American soldiers and veterans who participated in the antiwar movement from 1968, demanding an end to the war and peace for Vietnam.

Highlights were copies of underground newspapers published by and for active duty soldiers on military bases and ships, which expressed the voices of several thousands of working-class soldiers and junior officers who spoke out against the war and against injustices and racism within the military.

The exhibition also showcased photos of GI anti-war coffee houses located outside dozens of major military installations throughout the US, which were opened for soldiers to meet, enjoy cultural programmes, and produce their newspapers.

On display include photos of American solidiers’ participation in the antiwar movement such as signing petitions, organizing marches, deserting to other countries, and refusing orders to deploy to Vietnam.

Ron Carver, associate fellow for the Institute for Policy Studies and the exhibition’s curator, took more than a year to collect all the articles for the exhibition. He began the exhibition’s preparation in October 2016, after meeting Huynh Ngoc Van, then director of the War Remnants Museum, who asked him to do the work.

The event also represents efforts to overcome the war consequences to build and develop a peaceful and friendly relationship, Thao said.

According to Thao, to promote the exhibition, under license of the New Village Press, the museum cooperated with HCM City Youth Publishing House to print and distribute the Vietnamese version of the publication in Vietnam.

The publication once again introduces people in detail to the little-known history of US soldiers' struggle for peace and its role in ending the US war in Vietnam.

Ron Carver, co-editor of the publication "Waging Peace in Vietnam". Photo: HUFO

Carver, co-editor of the publication "Waging Peace in Vietnam," had a few words about the brutal history of the Vietnam War, and expressed his feelings about the consequences that the massacre had on the people of Vietnam and from those mistakes helped him to work on this book.

After that, US veterans took turns telling their stories and why they spoke out against and joined the anti-war movement, contributing to the fight for peace in Vietnam, highlighting on the importance of history education in service of peacekeeping and healing the war wounds of the two peoples of Vietnam and the US; and send best wishes to the relations between the two countries in the future.

After the sharing of historical witnesses, readers had the opportunity to talk with speakers and US war veterans about antiwar activities and the journey to healing the wounds of war.

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