[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 62 (Thursday, April 29, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E719]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 IN REMEMBRANCE AND RECOGNITION OF THE 35TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FALL OF 
                                 SAIGON

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. DENNIS J. KUCINICH

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 29, 2010

  Mr. KUCINICH. Madam Speaker, I rise today in remembrance and 
recognition of the 35th Anniversary of the Fall of Saigon. This 
historical date commemorates the end of the Vietnam War, and represents 
the beginning of a new life for tens of thousands of Vietnamese people, 
as they began their hopeful journey to America.
  On April 30, 1975, the ancient city of Saigon fell to the conquest of 
communist troops. This action solidified the communist takeover of 
South Vietnam. Thirty-five years later, I rise to honor the memory and 
sacrifice of the hundreds of thousands of South Vietnamese soldiers, 
American soldiers and civilians who made the ultimate sacrifice in the 
name of liberty.
  Despite the violent takeover and the rule of repression that 
followed, the culture, spirit and hope reflected by the Vietnamese 
people remained steadfast. After the fall of Saigon, thousands of 
Vietnamese, determined to rebuild their lives, began a treacherous 
exodus out of Vietnam. Their daring escape was on foot, through thick 
jungles and over jagged mountains. They escaped by boat, through snake-
infested rivers and across turbulent seas. They became refugees in many 
nations, including America, with nothing more than the clothes on their 
backs and the hope for freedom in their hearts.
  Madam Speaker and colleagues, please join me in honor and remembrance 
of the hundreds of thousands of women, men and children who struggled 
for peace and freedom. We also honor the City of Cleveland and the 
Vietnamese Community of Greater Cleveland, which offers support, 
services and hope to immigrants from all over the world. The Vietnamese 
culture, through the care and commitment of its people, has flourished 
in Cleveland and across America. Yet it remains forever connected to 
its ancient cultural and historical traditions that spiral back 
throughout the centuries, connecting the old world to the new, spanning 
oceans and borders in the ageless quest for peace--from Vietnam to 
America.

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