This day in 1975: Vietnamese people’s victory over US imperialism

In war there are the two factors – human beings and weapons. Ultimately, though, human beings are the decisive factor. Human beings! Human beings!” – General Vo Nguyen Giap, People’s Army of Vietnam

Victory monument in Xuan Loc, Vietnam

This posting also includes:

• “Activities across Vietnam celebrate Liberation of Saigon and Reunification of Vietnam”;
• “Vietnam’s great economic achievements since liberation”

April 30, 2015 marks the 40th anniversary of the total victory of the Vietnamese people over U.S. military aggression and its division of the country.

New York Times deploys to Nepal

America’s disaster diplomacy, geo-strategic interests and “soft power”

“First comes the missionary, then the soldier,” was an old maxim borne out by the bitter experience of a century of bloody colonial conquest in Africa, Asia and the Middle East.

By BILL VAN AUKEN

The missionaries are still at it, particularly in lands where souls can be bought most cheaply, but they hardly play the role allotted to them in the 19th century. A more modern version of this same epigram—better suited to the ongoing militarist drive by US imperialism for global domination—might substitute for missionary, “the man from the Times.”

Syria-Iraq meeting and Obama’s confession

Amid all the doom and gloom, Iraq and Syria have taken steps to mend fences. This comes at about the same time as Barack Obama’s admission that the takfiri terrorists in Syria arose because of George Bush’s foolish decision to invade Iraq in 2003.

Condemn Parliament’s decision to dishonour Vietnam’s April 30 victory!

 

Toronto demonstration in 1970 in support of the Vietnamese people’s heroic fight against U.S. imperialism, part of worldwide support for their just cause.

On April 23 Royal Assent was granted to Bill S-219, Journey to Freedom Day Act, officially designating April 30 each year as “Journey to Freedom Day” in reference to individuals who left Vietnam for Canada after the victory over U.S. forces on the same day in 1975. Despite amending the name of the bill from the Black April Day Act in the face of opposition to the divisive and provocative legislation, the debate in the House of Commons and the text of the bill itself makes it clear that what is being targeted is the historical verdict rendered against U.S. imperialism and the tremendous victory for freedom and independence.

All Out for May Day 2015 – International Day of Working Class Solidarity

Lessons from the bunker fuel spill in Vancouver’s harbour

Government cutbacks undermine public health and safety. ANNE JAMIESON

King Stephen – “Canada For Sale” by Royal Prerogative. Photo is from a June 25, 2011 rally of some 3,000 Newfoundlanders on the St. John’s waterfront against the decision of the Harper government to close the Marine Rescue Centre. | Tim O’Brien, The Muse

Sometime in the afternoon of April 8, bunker fuel started leaking from a ship anchored in English Bay in the outer harbour of the Port of Vancouver as it waited to load its cargo of grain at the docks. At 5:10 pm, a recreational boater noticed a large oil slick and called 911. The call was passed on to the Canadian Coast Guard, the designated lead agency for incidents like this. A Port Metro Vancouver boat appeared on the scene around 6:00 pm.

Virtual reality: Why is Hilary Clinton in so much trouble already?

From living a lie to the constant rearrangement of reality – “for example, in 1997 HRC was pictured reading to sick kids. The problem: sick children don’t look that cute, especially those who are bald from cancer treatments or fitted out with tubes and such. The solution: replace the sick children with well versions belonging to the hospital staff. It worked beautifully” – to the repeated specification of reality. SAM SMITH*