Vietexplorer2024

In a courageous legal battle, Tran To Nga, a former reporter from what was once French Indochina, took on 14 agrochemical companies, accusing them of causing severe harm to herself and others by selling Agent Orange to the American military. The herbicide was infamously used during the Vietnam War with devastating consequences. Nga’s initial case, filed in 2021, was dismissed by a French court, ruling that the companies enjoyed legal immunity as they worked for a sovereign government. The Paris Court of Appeal upheld this decision, citing the companies’ immunity status as a barrier to Nga’s demands. Undeterred, the 82-year-old veteran journalist, who has lived in France for 30 years, plans to take her fight to France’s highest appeals court. Her health issues, including Type 2 diabetes and a rare insulin allergy, as well as the loss of her daughter to a heart malformation, are all attributed by Nga to her exposure to Agent Orange. The use of Agent Orange in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambod...

The Vietnam Military History Museum’s new campus, located on Thang Long Boulevard in Hanoi’s Nam Tu Liem District, has completed its first phase of construction, which began in 2019, with a substantial investment of VND2.5 trillion (approximately US$101 million). This state-of-the-art museum showcases an impressive collection of approximately 150,000 artifacts, including rare and nationally treasured items. The museum’s design is a striking tribute to Vietnam’s rich history, with a 45-meter-tall Victory Tower serving as a prominent centerpiece, commemorating the momentous occasion of Vietnam’s proclamation of independence by President Ho Chi Minh in 1945. As you step into the outdoor exhibition area, you’ll find a powerful display of weaponry and equipment. On the left, discover the tools of resistance and defense used by the resilient Vietnamese military and people during their struggles against French colonialists and American forces. On the right, examine the armaments employed by...