The Drunk Diplomat

The Vietnamese apparently have no bad feelings towards American’s any longer. The “American War” as it is known in Vietnam is a distant memory only found it textbooks to the youth of the country. According to this video from World Focus 8 in 10 Vietnamese have a positive view of the United States. 80%! That would make Vietnam one of the most pro-American countries in the world. I posit two reasons for the amazing view the Vietnamese have of the United States. First, the Vietnamese have a belief that America is a land of opportunity, they like our culture, and our technology. Many Vietnamese dream of studying in the United States and returning to Vietnam to improve their country. The youth of Vietnam are experiencing something that the youth of Iran are experiencing. They are not getting 100% of their information from authoritative figures in the country, rather, they are connected to the internet and recieve information from a variety of sources. This is how Persian, Vietnamese, Ukrainian, etc. youth learn about America and democratic values. Second, Vietnam shares a large border with the rising Chinese giant. The Vietnamese elite may view a closer relationship with America will help balance the interests of Vietnam and in general Southeast Asia. This is a position that Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea have taken to avoid Chinese dominance in Asia. It allows Japan to rely on American nuclear weapons and military strength without building its own – keeping an Asian arms race only a threat – not reality.