Vietnam: 35 Years After the Fall of Saigon
A Photographic Narrative
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Vietnam: 35 Years After the Fall of Saigon
A Photographic Narrative
Images and Text by Mark Zannoni
Foreword by: US Ambassador Stephen R. Lyne
ISBN: 978-1-8897-4817-7 (Hardcover)
ISBN: 978-1-8897-4818-4 (E-Book)
Nacala Press, 2014, xviii+192 pages (Hardcover)
Vietnam: 35 Years After the Fall of Saigon, A Photographic Narrative by Mark Zannoni, provides a multidisciplinary insight into contemporary Vietnam from the perspective of the war, documenting the current and enduring remnants of war, peace and reconciliation, US-Vietnam diplomacy, and the social and economic development of post-war Vietnam. Through eight chapters of color images, the book presents Vietnam at this unique moment when the legacy of conflict is giving way to a renewed economic and social order.
Before this book, little existed on the topic as a comprehensive work as it relates to Vietnam itself. This book represents an American perspective of the Vietnam War from within Vietnam today, providing new data and insight through the medium of images to document contemporary Vietnam. The book allows the reader an actual view into the story of modern Vietnam.
Through 189 color images, the volume captures cities and regions throughout the country from Hai Phong in the north to the Mekong Delta in the south, documenting the residue of the war, such as MIA recovery efforts and the impact of unexploded ordnance (UXO), and the current social, economic, and diplomatic environment to present a comprehensive view of the country today.
Decades after the fall of Saigon, Vietnam is a rapidly developing country yet still endures the legacies of the War. Modern cities are rising quickly, yet on old battlefields children still play with the debris of war. The economy is thriving, yet second and third generations suffer the long-term effects of chemical defoliants and the lurking presence of unexploded ordnance. And amidst the economic and social progress, government officialdom does not let its citizens forget the war as it carefully shapes a historical perspective of it.
Between the places and concepts documented in this title, marking 35 years since the fall of Saigon, and the recent 40th Anniversary of the war, the book remains highly relevant. Few changes have occurred since 2010 and the overall path of reconciliation and diplomatic relations is maintained, Vietnamese relics and monuments relating to the war remain, and the cities and land remain relatively unchanged. The few changes since 2010 are continuations of the themes seen in this book, rather than any new or radical departures, such as a new US ambassador and some new high-rise buildings. The book provides a unique perspective into Vietnam 35 years after the fall of Saigon, documenting the country at a specific moment in history, long enough for a historical perspective to emerge on the physical reconstruction of the country; the development of a new peacetime economy and society; and renewed diplomatic, military, economic, and social ties between Vietnam and the United States.
The title represents an important and timely work from many perspectives—reconciliation between former foes, a social and economic perspective of a self-proclaimed communist country that fully embraces and practices capitalism, a documentation of the political and economic development of Vietnam, and as an ‘epilogue’ on the Vietnam War.
Contributing to the existing body of work on the Vietnam War, US-Vietnam relations, and peace and reconciliation in general, the text will provide insight for a broad range of readers and academics across multiple disciplines to include: American History, the Vietnam War, Vietnam studies, Vietnam history, US-Vietnam relations, current events, international relations, diplomacy studies, political science, business and foreign investment studies, and cultural anthropology.
Vietnam: 35 Years after the Fall of Saigon provides a contemporary perspective into Vietnam, documenting the country at this unique time when the legacy of the war is still alive but is giving way to a renewed economic, diplomatic, and social order. The scars of war have not yet faded, but peace and reconciliation are steadily overtaking them.
The book is available in both hardcover and e-book versions.
Additional details can be found on the book’s website.
