An old Soviet made tank in Saigon. Folks today are more interested in Toyotas. |
Outside
the museum are more captured American made weapons, plus a lot of
Soviet built weapons used in the final offensive. I find that what’s
most telling about being here, is not what’s inside the museum,
but what surrounds the place.
Near
the entrance, an old North Vietnamese Army tank sits out front.
Soviet made, it is the very image of communist power. As I stand and
look at it, I can’t help but notice that behind and above it, is
a big sign from the Toyota dealership next door. Toyotas are much
more relevant to Vietnamese today, than this rusting Russian tank.
Also
on the museum grounds, a Soviet built surface to air missile points
skyward. These missiles were once the terror of the skies, shooting
down American made fighter jets and heavy bombers. Towering beyond
the missile in the background, is the massive Prudential Insurance
building, one of the
taller skyscrapers in Saigon. Also across the street from the museum,
is a Mercedes Benz dealership. I recall the two Mercedes I recently
saw with the Prime Minister’s motorcade, along with other American
made vehicles.
These
days the car dealerships are getting much more attention than this
museum, and the power of commerce is evident throughout the city.
With the rise of business, and the decline of communist dogma, one
thing is clear. The Communists may have won the war, but the
capitalists have won the post-war.
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