Vietnamese People

Forty years after his plane was shot down over North Vietnam and he was taken prisoner, presidential candidate Sen. John McCain's ordeal is included in a 12-minute biographical video. Photographs and footage in the video of his time as a prisoner of war to have never been seen before on American television, a campaign aide said. A unified Vietnam has capitalized on its American War -- as it calls it -- history and promotes war-related sites throughout the country to tourists.

As a White House correspondent for CNN, Kelly Wallace reports on presidential activities both nationally and internationally. She is in Hanoi covering the first visit by a U.S. president. Q: Talk of trade highlights President Clinton's visit. Do the Vietnamese people see any paradox in dealing with what was for years a sworn enemy? WALLACE: It's interesting -- there seems to be a lot of curiosity on the part of the Vietnamese people about the visit. Hundreds of Vietnamese people lined up as the president and Chelsea drove in their motorcade from the airport to their hotel.

A generation ago there was war. A decade ago the two former enemies established diplomatic relations. Now Vietnam's prime minister has made history with a first-ever visit to the White House. And despite some lingering protests, President Bush has promised a reciprocal visit of his own. Shortly after they met, I sat down with Vietnamese Prime Minister Phan Van Khai for an exclusive interview. The prime minister says he was very pleased by what he heard from Bush, especially his support for Vietnam's admission into the World Trade Organization.

APRIL 17, 2000 VOL. 155 NO. 15 ; ;Lives Reshaped by History Though the war ended 25 years ago, its legacy continues to affect the lives of Vietnameseand a few Americans By DAVID LIEBHOLDHanoi The rumblings of a longago war can still be heard in Vietnamin the passionate writings of a controversial female novelist, the charitable impulses of a former American G.I. or the vibrant memories of a Viet Cong fighter pilot. The wars aftermath left deep scarsbut also opportunities to set things right.

Vietnamese and U.S. officials have agreed for the first time to study the possible effects of Agent Orange, a toxic chemical defoliant used by the American military during the Vietnam War. The agreement comes after years of negotiations that stumbled over compensation issues. Both American and Australian Vietnam veterans have applauded the agreement saying it is long overdue and a step in the right the direction. U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam, Pete Peterson, is quoted in the Viet Nam News as saying "the U.S. has long offered to engage in serious, joint scientific research with Vietnam to reach a well-founded understanding of the environmental and health effects of dioxin, an element in Agent Orange that has been claimed to cause health problems.

AT LAST, THE ENGLISHSPEAKING world has a chance to read South Koreas bestknown writer. Yi Mun Yol has had some of his 30odd books translated into French, but this is his first in English. The poet of the title is Kim Sakkat, a real 19th century character whose life and works have been the source of many oral traditions. A member of a powerful clan, Kim sees his world disintegrate as a child when his grandfather, the commander of a northern garrison, is declared to have betrayed the king during an abortive rebellion.

HONG KONG CNN They left hoping for new opportunities, washing up on the shores of countries like Hong Kong seeking freedom from a repressive government and the chance to participate in a stronger economy.;Wednesday, the last of Vietnams boat people to voluntarily return home from Hong Kong refugee camps boarded a United Nations flight and came back to the land they fled following the communist victory in Vietnam.;Fewer than 100 people were aboard the United Nationschartered flight as it carried them from Hong Kong to Vietnam.

HANOI, Vietnam CNN The first U.S. ambassador to postwar Vietnam arrived in Hanoi on Friday, proclaiming a new era of relations between the former foes and chance to move past their history of conflict and suspicion.;Ambassador Douglas Peterson a former prisoner of war in Vietnam was met at the airport by about 100 wellwishers, including war veterans and business leaders. ;Today we exchange ambassadors, marking the full normalization of diplomatic relations between our two countries, Peterson said.

Forty years after his plane was shot down over North Vietnam and he was taken prisoner, presidential candidate Sen. John McCain's ordeal is included in a 12-minute biographical video. Photographs and footage in the video of his time as a prisoner of war to have never been seen before on American television, a campaign aide said. A unified Vietnam has capitalized on its American War -- as it calls it -- history and promotes war-related sites throughout the country to tourists.

A generation ago there was war. A decade ago the two former enemies established diplomatic relations. Now Vietnam's prime minister has made history with a first-ever visit to the White House. And despite some lingering protests, President Bush has promised a reciprocal visit of his own. Shortly after they met, I sat down with Vietnamese Prime Minister Phan Van Khai for an exclusive interview. The prime minister says he was very pleased by what he heard from Bush, especially his support for Vietnam's admission into the World Trade Organization.

Vietnamese and U.S. officials have agreed for the first time to study the possible effects of Agent Orange, a toxic chemical defoliant used by the American military during the Vietnam War. The agreement comes after years of negotiations that stumbled over compensation issues. Both American and Australian Vietnam veterans have applauded the agreement saying it is long overdue and a step in the right the direction. U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam, Pete Peterson, is quoted in the Viet Nam News as saying "the U.S. has long offered to engage in serious, joint scientific research with Vietnam to reach a well-founded understanding of the environmental and health effects of dioxin, an element in Agent Orange that has been claimed to cause health problems.

As a White House correspondent for CNN, Kelly Wallace reports on presidential activities both nationally and internationally. She is in Hanoi covering the first visit by a U.S. president. Q: Talk of trade highlights President Clinton's visit. Do the Vietnamese people see any paradox in dealing with what was for years a sworn enemy? WALLACE: It's interesting -- there seems to be a lot of curiosity on the part of the Vietnamese people about the visit. Hundreds of Vietnamese people lined up as the president and Chelsea drove in their motorcade from the airport to their hotel.

APRIL 17, 2000 VOL. 155 NO. 15 ; ;Lives Reshaped by History Though the war ended 25 years ago, its legacy continues to affect the lives of Vietnameseand a few Americans By DAVID LIEBHOLDHanoi The rumblings of a longago war can still be heard in Vietnamin the passionate writings of a controversial female novelist, the charitable impulses of a former American G.I. or the vibrant memories of a Viet Cong fighter pilot. The wars aftermath left deep scarsbut also opportunities to set things right.

AT LAST, THE ENGLISHSPEAKING world has a chance to read South Koreas bestknown writer. Yi Mun Yol has had some of his 30odd books translated into French, but this is his first in English. The poet of the title is Kim Sakkat, a real 19th century character whose life and works have been the source of many oral traditions. A member of a powerful clan, Kim sees his world disintegrate as a child when his grandfather, the commander of a northern garrison, is declared to have betrayed the king during an abortive rebellion.

HONG KONG CNN They left hoping for new opportunities, washing up on the shores of countries like Hong Kong seeking freedom from a repressive government and the chance to participate in a stronger economy.;Wednesday, the last of Vietnams boat people to voluntarily return home from Hong Kong refugee camps boarded a United Nations flight and came back to the land they fled following the communist victory in Vietnam.;Fewer than 100 people were aboard the United Nationschartered flight as it carried them from Hong Kong to Vietnam.