Forty-seven years ago, the year I first took the oath of office as a United States Senator marked the end of a conflict that caused immense loss and suffering for the people of both our countries.
I clearly recall the day I cast my vote to end the war in Vietnam. As the youngest member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, I was well aware that this decision was not popular in my home state of Vermont. In fact, the state’s largest newspaper predicted that my career in politics was doomed and that I would serve only one term. Despite this, I felt that I had to cast my vote in accordance with my moral convictions.
History turned out differently, and of the more than 17,000 votes I have cast during eight terms in the Senate, that vote in 1975 remains one that I am proudest of.
As I have stated before, we cannot alter the past, but we can opt for a different future – for ourselves, our children, and our grandchildren. Nowadays, two previous adversaries can take pride in over 33 years of rapprochement, normalization, and an all-encompassing partnership. Next year marks the 10th anniversary of this partnership, signed in 2013 by President Obama and President Truong Tan Sang, and what better way to honor this anniversary than by elevating our partnership to a strategic level?
How did we arrive at this point, after a war that caused so much destruction and heartache for both our countries?
It didn’t just happen on its own. It was the American veterans of that war—John McCain, John Kerry, Bobby Muller, and many others—who spearheaded the campaign for reconciliation and normalization.
It was the Vietnamese people who sought to look to the future, refusing to be hindered by the past.
The lingering effects of war are still felt across the United States, even half a century after the Vietnam War. Every day, as I drive to the U.S. Capitol Building, I am reminded of the tragedy that occurred by passing the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Its solemn black wall and 58,000 names etched in stone serve as a somber reminder of the human cost of war.
In Vietnam—a place I have visited three times—I am constantly reminded of the immense suffering endured by its people. Every family has been affected, and many continue to grieve the loss of their loved ones, just like American families.
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| Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh (left), Vietnam’s Deputy Minister of National Defense, presents a box of treated dioxin-contaminated soil at Da Nang International Airport to U.S. Senate President Pro Tempore Patrick Leahy. |
That is what happens in wars. The shooting stops, but the painful legacies and lingering memories are left in its wake. Even after the conflict is over, the effects of war can remain for years, even decades, to come.
For more than 33 years, I and many others in the United States and Vietnam have strived to overcome some of the most detrimental legacies of the war, such as locating and identifying the remains of the missing – Americans and Vietnamese alike – eliminating areas contaminated with dioxin and unexploded landmines and bombs, and aiding individuals with disabilities.
By doing so, we have bridged our countries together, despite our differences, and constructed a bond that encompasses many other areas of collaboration, such as higher education, public health, climate change, and regional security.
In 1995, the two countries established diplomatic relations, and in 2016, they celebrated the 20th anniversary of their normalized ties. United States-Vietnam relations have grown significantly since then, with both countries now sharing strong economic and security ties. The United States is now one of Vietnam’s largest trading partners, with the total bilateral trade between the two countries reaching $62 billion in 2020. Additionally, the United States provides Vietnam with assistance in the areas of health, education, and environment protection. The two countries are also working together to promote regional security and stability, as well as to address shared challenges such as climate change and human trafficking.
When you consider what relations between the United States and Vietnam are like today, 27 years after President Clinton announced the normalization of relations, it is truly remarkable. In 1995, the two countries established diplomatic relations, and in 2016, they celebrated the 20th anniversary of their normalized ties. Since then, United States-Vietnam relations have grown significantly, with both countries now sharing strong economic and security ties. The United States is now one of Vietnam’s largest trading partners, with the total bilateral trade between the two countries reaching a staggering $62 billion in 2020.
Furthermore, the United States provides Vietnam with assistance in the areas of health, education, and environment protection. The two countries are also collaborating to promote regional security and stability, as well as to tackle shared challenges such as climate change and human trafficking. As the partnership between the United States and Vietnam continues to strengthen, both nations can look forward to a bright and prosperous future.
We would never have achieved the successes of today without the Government of Vietnam’s willingness to help locate the remains of American missing in action (MIA) over the past four decades. The importance of this cooperation is immeasurable.
I am delighted to announce that we are commencing a new partnership between the U.S. Department of Defense, the U.S. Agency for International Development, and Vietnam’s Ministry of National Defense. This partnership aims to help Vietnam in its effort to recover the remains of its hundreds of thousands of missing citizens. This collaboration between our governments is undoubtedly one of the most meaningful initiatives we have undertaken to address the long-lasting legacies of the war, especially for the families of the missing.
We will continue to help the thousands of disabled Vietnamese victims of unexploded ordnance, which started with the Leahy War Victims Fund 33 years ago, supplying artificial limbs and wheelchairs.
We will continue to help individuals with severe cognitive and physical disabilities in Vietnam, while also cleaning up sites contaminated by dioxin from Agent Orange. The Bien Hoa Air Base remediation project is unprecedented in its scale and complexity, and its successful completion is a testament to the trust and confidence that both governments have in our joint abilities.
In a time of great uncertainty across the globe, we are fortunate to have worked together on war legacy issues for all these years. Despite the deep-seated differences we have regarding the rights and liberties of citizens, our collaborative efforts have enabled Vietnam to become one of our most reliable partners in East Asia today.
The next generation of leaders in Vietnam and the United States are too young to remember the war, but the effects of its legacy still linger. As we look to the future, what will the next 27 years bring? Will these young leaders continue and expand upon the progress we have made, not just in terms of war legacies, but in addressing the growing need for higher education, clean energy, and regional peace? Can they also prepare for future pandemics and other global threats? It is up to them to shape the future of both countries, and the world.
I have a lot of hope for Vietnam, because I have met some of the next generation, in Hanoi, in Da Nang, and in Ho Chi Minh City. They are as intelligent, enthusiastic, curious, and determined to succeed in today’s technologically interconnected world as young people anywhere. They are proud to be Vietnamese, and they want their country to play an active and positive role in East Asia and the world.
In two months, my tenure as a United States Senator will draw to a close. Marcelle and I will be returning to our beloved home in Vermont. However, the rest of Congress will continue to strive to build upon our efforts to bridge the gaps between our two countries and face the many challenges that remain.
For me, working to build a strong partnership between the United States and Vietnam, rooted in trust, friendship, and cooperation, has been one of the most meaningful experiences of my time as a U.S. Senator. It has given new purpose to my vote, cast 47 years ago, to end the Vietnam War.
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