Crowds cheer as grand military parade marks 50 years since the end of the Vietnam War“The atmosphere here today made not only me, but all the Vietnamese feel proud because we get to live in a peaceful country that is independent,

Vietnam on Wednesday marked the 50th anniversary of the end of the war with the United States and the formation of the modern nation through the merger of North and South Vietnam. Thousands had flocked to Ho Chi Minh City — once known as Saigon — to witness the military parade near the Independence Palace,

Fifty years since reunification, the fall of Saigon is a distant memory and microbreweries, cool cafes and Michelin-lauded restaurants are adding another dimension to the city’s eclectic food scene.