America’s Ho Chi Min

When I think of communist countries, two things usually come to mind, glorified leaders and propaganda. Vietnam fit my stereotype perfectly, and even added the bonus of embalming their dear leader Ho Chi Min and preserving him to be seen by the public. But while I am critical of a communist country glorifying a leader on every street corner, I failed to take a look at the United States as a comparison. I live 30 minutes outside of Washington DC, the most heavily monumented and statued area in the U.S. But what makes the American depiction of George Washington different from Ho Chi Min? Washington is in children’s books, on monuments, street names, sports teams and many many more places just like Ho Chi Min. He was a revolutionary who fought for what he thought was right and against a system that was perceived to be threatening personal freedoms. Rising up against colonizing influence that spread their culture and political system as a way of dominating the population. No one around the world thought he stood a chance, but he fought hard and was victorious against a much larger force. The similarities to Washington’s story and Ho Chi Min’s seem eerily similar. As a personal opinion, I believe that the United States has turned into what we originally fought against. Politicians and nations seem to forget history when making decisions and act surprised when different nations react blandly to their influence. On this trip I have gained more respect for the Vietnamese and their culture. They are hard workers, fast learners, and disregard traffic laws. The United States used to be a developing country as well and still has plenty of problems. But I think that time is the answer to most of Vietnams issues.Time for the economy to grow and time for the population to reach their full potential. I see Vietnam as being totally different in 20 years, but still continuing their fierce dedication to hard work and never ending traffic.

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