Podcasts about saigon

Our guest, Aurélia de Azambuja has been speaking at conferences more recently with her talk, “How to make the logo bigger when the world is burning?” – a provocation that confronts what it means to practice design in today's world, and more broadly, how to find meaning in design at all. It's a particularly dark time for humanity, and, once we caught wind of the talk as it went semi viral on Instagram, we were drawn to find out more about Aurelia and her presentation. We were curious about her role in the design world as a member of Base Brussels' team, how these provocations and honest opinions intersect with her daily work life, and her thoughts on being a designer during great uncertainty and escalating upheaval. She was joined by Editorial Director of Base Julie Tentler to provide even more context to the talk and the culture and life working at Base.Aurélia is a Senior Designer at Base Design Brussels, where she has been working for the last 8 years. She orchestrates teams of copywriters, illustrators, and art directors to bring bold, conceptually rooted design to life. Her passion about the power of design as a tool for change has her frequently (and now more publicly) asking the big questions – challenging her creative approach, her team, and the design world at large.Julie Tentler is the Editorial Director at Base Design, leading global communications across the network's studios. Her focus is on strengthening the Base brand – defining its values and point of view with an engaging tone. Spanning all six studios, she brings a transversal perspective that guides storytelling so the brand shows up with clarity and consistency worldwide.Base Design was Started in the early '90s and is an international network of creative studios in Brussels, New York, Geneva, and Melbourne, with a new studio in Saigon and a Digital studio that operates without a physical location. For more than three decades, they've built brands that are memorable, human-centric, and crafted for good business.Rather than replicating the same model everywhere, each of their studios thrives on its local culture – while staying united by a shared mission: to help companies create brands with vision, clarity, and empathy.In conversation, we hear how Julie and Aurélia are bringing a caring and inquisitive perspective to spaces like the design conferences out of the Base studios to spark important questions. We're happy to share this episode with everyone and hope it scratches your brains a little to move with your hearts.We R here 4 U. Thanks. Get full access to Graphic Support Group Podcast at graphicsupportgroup.substack.com/subscribe

Emerging from Saigon's system of warlords and narco-pirates, Nam Cam built a criminal empire by making sure everyone — cops, politicians, media — was in his pocket. But that meant that when everything came crashing down, it crashed down hard, and he took out a decent portion of the city's leadership with him. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the chaos of the helicopter evacuation from Saigon in April 1975, Doan Hoàng Curtis' sister was somehow left behind. It would haunt her family for years. Doan was just three years old when her family made it onto one of the last helicopters to leave Saigon as troops from the communist North took over the city and the Vietnam war came to an end. Her father was a major for the South Vietnamese air force and if he'd stayed in Saigon he could have been killed. Leaving Vietnam was an extraordinary moment for the family, but one that would have a deep and lasting impact on them, because somehow, in the turmoil of the evacuation, Doan's 17-year-old half-sister Van was left behind. It would take Van six years and a treacherous journey via Thailand before she could be reunited with her family, who ended up settling in the United States. Doan says the anger and confusion of why her sister was left behind has defined her whole life. Now an award-winning documentary filmmaker living in the US, Doan returned to Vietnam in 2005 with her family - including her sister Van - to make a documentary and confront the past. It's called Oh Saigon: A War in the family.News report of Fall of Saigon came from CBS news.Presenter: Mobeen Azhar Producer: June Christie Lives Less Ordinary is a podcast from the BBC World Service that brings you the most incredible true stories from around the world. Each episode a guest shares their most dramatic, moving, personal story. Listen for unbelievable twists, mysteries uncovered, and inspiring journeys - spanning the entire human experience. Step into someone else's life and expect the unexpected.   Got a story to tell? Send an email to liveslessordinary@bbc.co.uk or message us via WhatsApp: 0044 330 678 2784   You can read our privacy notice here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/5YD3hBqmw26B8WMHt6GkQxG/lives-less-ordinary-privacy-notice

It was fifty years ago that the city of Saigon was captured by the North Vietnamese, marking the end of the Vietnam War. Just days before, 12-year-old Tan Pham escaped the city, along with his parents and three siblings. Pham shared the story of his family’s extraordinary journey to La Crosse with WPR’s Ezra Wall.

Frank McWeeny heads to the dancefloors of Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) to uncover what Vietnamese alternative culture looks and sounds like today. With 70% of the country under 35, young people are the driving force behind a different image of Vietnam, far away from poverty and war. They are asserting their identity through music, fashion and their own take on traditional values. They are changing perceptions of what it means to be Vietnamese in 2025. We hear from DIY music collective Dismal, forward-thinking underground club The Observatory, and members of the nightlife and fashion scenes.Producer/presenter: Frank McWeeny Editor: Susan Marling A Just Radio production

“Vietnam isn't just somewhere people come for a cheap holiday anymore — it's where creators, entrepreneurs, and dreamers are choosing to build a life.”That line sums up what this episode is all about.For our first-ever live-streamed episode of Discover Vietnam, I sat down with Dana Bradley, co-founder of Where in HCMC, to talk about how Vietnam — especially Saigon — has evolved into one of the most exciting lifestyle destinations in Asia.Dana first arrived in Vietnam by accident during the COVID lockdowns… and ended up staying five years (and counting). Her story mirrors so many of ours: we came for a short time, fell in love with the energy, and somehow built a life here.What I loved most about this conversation is how naturally it flowed between personal stories, cultural observations, and genuine admiration for what makes Saigon Saigon. We dug into everything from why foreigners can't seem to leave, to how Vietnamese creatives are shaping the city's future.Key Talking PointsVietnam's evolution – from a backpacker stop to a global lifestyle and creative hub.Why people stay – Saigon's spontaneity, community, and energy make it impossible to leave.Dana's story – from being “stuck” during COVID to building Where in Vietnam, a platform connecting people and local businesses.Authenticity redefined – the real Vietnam isn't just pho and war museums; it's also cocktail bars, design studios, and Gen Z creatives.Empowering small businesses – how Where in Vietnam's new website and People's Picks Awards are spotlighting modern Vietnam.Chapters & Timestamps02:45 – Dana's accidental arrival and decision to stay06:30 – What makes Saigon special13:40 – The birth of Where in HCMC23:00 – Vietnam's new generation and creative boom31:00 – The future of lifestyle in Vietnam"Send me a message!"This Season is sponsored by Premier Dental.Discover the potential of a confident and healthy smile with the excellent dental clinic in Ho Chi Minh Support the show

 Niall talks to Ilse Zoerb. They instantly click and are both super goofy, joking about her name, accent and even Niall's dead grandmother. We even find a mutual appreciation for the TLC channel. Check out her favourite TLC show here. Ilse helped her parents move to Vietnam at the end of 2016 while Trump was taking office. She got caught in the Saigon vortex and is grateful for it.Ilse is a creator of things, having studied Movement in her native US. Since moving to Saigon she tried out stand up comedy before exploring Drag as the character Colonel Hai Minh, performing in several shows and also works with Dragonfly Theatre. Instead of talking about the arts scene in Saigon that they are both a part of, for some unknown reason Niall and Ilse get very excited to talk about urban planning in Saigon and the improved road network! It's a way more interesting conversation than it sounds! "Send me a message!"This Season is sponsored by Premier Dental.Discover the potential of a confident and healthy smile with the excellent dental clinic in Ho Chi Minh Support the show

In this week's very toxic episode of BFGE, Sarah and Emma head off to bootcamp to watch Stanley Kubrick's take on the Vietnam War in "Full Metal Jacket," a film that, as it turns out, is not about metal outerwear at all.  In this episode:- Did young Emma ever flick the bean to Matthew Modine?- Was Roger Ebert justified giving this film only 2.5 stars?- Can Emma survive Sergeant Sarah's verbal beatings without going full metal jacket on her ass?Come ship off to a completely frivolous foreign war with us!Like our stupid lil movie parties? Please drop us a rating on spotify/apple and follow us on instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/brutalfilmgirlpod/

“You can live in Vietnam for $1,000 a month… but will you be happy, healthy, and secure doing it?”Adrie and I are gonna be here again, but in different roles - she's the host and interviews me. Adrie asks me about the real cost of living in Vietnam after nine years as expats in Ho Chi Minh City. When we first arrived, we thought everything would be dirt cheap — almost free. But as we settled into long-term life, we learned that costs depend entirely on the lifestyle you want to live.This conversation was a fun mix of stories from our early days, lessons we've learned the hard way, and advice I wish someone had told me when we first moved here. It's not just about whether you can survive on a backpacker budget — it's about whether you can thrive here long-term with savings, health insurance, and a lifestyle you actually enjoy. Key Talking PointsFirst impressions vs. reality – Vietnam feels cheap at first, but costs add up quickly.Wide price ranges – from 10k coffees to 110k Starbucks, lifestyle choices shape your budget.Can you live on $1,000/month? Long-term essentials – pensions, health insurance, transportation, and gym memberships are often overlooked.Simple but rich lifestyle – Vietnam makes it easier to spend less on consumer goods, but temptations (international food, travel, shopping) are always there.Chapters[00:00] Arriving in Vietnam – first impressions and naïve expectations.[07:00] The shock of real rent prices in Ho Chi Minh City.[13:00] Street food vs. Western comforts: how your lifestyle changes your budget.[19:00] Hidden costs expats forget: pensions, insurance, gyms, and groceries.[29:00] Big question: Can you live on $1,000/month in Saigon?[45:00] Why a simpler life in Vietnam can actually feel richer."Send me a message!"This Season is sponsored by Premier Dental.Discover the potential of a confident and healthy smile with the excellent dental clinic in Ho Chi Minh Support the show

Hun To, the nephew of Cambodia's former PM, is also the ruler of a criminal empire stretching from illegal logging and Triad-run casinos, to corrupt Chinese investment and — ALLEGEDLY — people and heroin trafficking.Sean met Nathan Southern and Lindsey Kennedy at a Saigon studio to discuss a crazy tale of how the leaders of a small and economically weak nation have gotten wildly rich playing off global powers, and proving that for a small number of mobsters, you really can be too big to fail. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lars Callieou is a touring comedian from Edmonton, Canada, who was recently on his 4th tour of Saigon and Vietnam.After watching his show and attending a workshop he put on for local comedians I caught up with Lars at his hotel shortly before he flew back to Canada. So apologies for the background noise, we were in the hotel restaurant that was thankfully mostly quiet. Lars has appeared at the Just for Laughs Festival and has a 1-Hour Comedy Special currently airing on The Comedy Network. He was named ‘Best of the Fest' at the 2018 San Luis Obispo Comedy Festival for the second time in as many appearances. Lars has also been overseas to entertain the troops 3 times.Lars has toured with the likes of Miss Joan Rivers, Jeff Foxworthy, Bob Saget and Martin Short. He will be making his fifth appearance this April at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival in AustraliaYou can find Lars on Instagram, Twitter and his Website. "Send me a message!"This Season is sponsored by Premier Dental.Discover the potential of a confident and healthy smile with the excellent dental clinic in Ho Chi Minh Support the show

In this episode, Sean and James discuss the 1987 film Good Morning Vietnam, a war-comedy film starring Robin Williams as Airman First Class Adrian Cronauer, a charismatic and irreverent DJ assigned to the Armed Forces Radio Service in Saigon during the Vietnam War. Set in 1965, the film follows Cronauer as he energizes the troops with his unfiltered humor, rock music, and offbeat broadcasts—much to the dismay of his rigid superiors. Loosely based on a true story, the film was a critical and commercial success, earning Williams a Golden Globe and an Oscar nomination for Best Actor.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some war stories never leave the battlefield — even when the soldiers do. In tonight's chilling true account, a Vietnam veteran recalls the only brush with the supernatural he's had in 74 years of life — and it happened deep in the Mekong Delta. While serving night duty at a Special Forces C-team, he was tasked with monitoring communications and handling emergencies. One night, a wounded American, Sergeant T, was flown in after a grenade trap nearly destroyed his airboat. His injury was minor but serious: a small hole above the eye, possibly pressing on the optic nerve. Medics recommended evacuation to Saigon, and the sergeant was flown out. Two days later, reports came back thanking the officer for returning Sergeant T. Confused, he went to retrieve the man — only to be told by multiple soldiers that they had seen him walking around, bandaged head and all, even heading to the showers. His girlfriend in the village was questioned. Everyone swore he was still alive. But when the officer returned to headquarters, the truth hit like a bullet: Major Jay handed him the paperwork. Sergeant T had died the night before, on the operating table in Saigon. Yet at least three men swore they saw him walking the barracks that same night. Was this a case of a spirit lingering behind, unaware of his death? A phantom farewell to comrades? Or something far stranger — a soldier caught between worlds, neither alive nor gone? #WarGhosts #VietnamWar #ParanormalStories #TrueGhostStory #HauntedHistory #SoldierGhost #RealHaunting #SupernaturalEncounters #MilitaryGhostStories #RealGhostStoriesOnline Love real ghost stories? Don't just listen—join us on YouTube and be part of the largest community of real paranormal encounters anywhere. Subscribe now and never miss a chilling new story:

Sam escaped from Vietnam when Saigon fell during the Vietnam war. He survived a five day journey on a crowded boat with dreadful conditions to eventually land in Melbourne as a refugee. The Salvos came alongside him and today he is a retired Salvo officer having served for over 30 years. Sam is a matter of fact no nonsense sort of guy and his story will inspire and encourage.

 Mischa Smith, from Canada, is a regular sight around Saigon in the craft beer scene as the Sales Director for Pasteur Street Brewing Company. Mischa started in the craft beer industry in Toronto, Ontario before he packed up and moved to South Korea to teach English for a year that turned into four years and five months. After a visit to Saigon he fell in love with the city, left Korea and has now been here for 6 years, seeing massive changes in Saigon in a relatively short time.Mischa shares how he went from drinking beers to pouring them for free to selling Pasteur Beer nationally and internationally and his tips for eating, drinking and living in Saigon. "Send me a message!"This Season is sponsored by Premier Dental.Discover the potential of a confident and healthy smile with the excellent dental clinic in Ho Chi Minh Support the show

We welcome veterans of the now-gone Army Security Agency, which was first created on September 15, 1945, in the immediate aftermath of World War II. ASA veterans John Peart and others will share their stories of service with this shadowy intelligence agency that played a critical role in the Cold War. The Army Security Agency (ASA) operated under the authority of the National Security Agency (NSA) and was tasked with intercepting, analyzing, and exploiting enemy communications. Its mission included codebreaking, electronic intelligence gathering, direction finding, and secure communications. The ASA played a central role during the early Cold War period, collecting intelligence on the Soviet Union and its allies. ASA units were composed of highly trained personnel, often fluent in foreign languages, skilled in radio operations, cryptography, and electronic surveillance. The ASA's role expanded during the Korean War and reached a peak of operational activity during the Vietnam War. ASA personnel were deployed across Southeast Asia, conducting covert and direct support operations for U.S. and allied forces. They established field stations and remote intercept sites near conflict zones and along the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Using direction-finding equipment and advanced signal processing tools, they intercepted enemy radio traffic, provided early warning of enemy movements, and monitored North Vietnamese and Viet Cong communications. Their intelligence was vital to strategic planning and tactical decision-making. One of the most significant and symbolic events involving the ASA during the Vietnam War was the death of Specialist 4 James T. Davis on December 22, 1961. Davis, part of the 3rd Radio Research Unit—the ASA cover name in Vietnam—was on a joint operation with South Vietnamese forces near Saigon when his convoy was ambushed. He and ten South Vietnamese soldiers were killed. Davis became the first American battlefield casualty of the Vietnam War recognized by the Department of Defense. His death marked a turning point, highlighting the increasing U.S. involvement in Vietnam and the dangerous nature of ASA missions in the field. The ASA compound at Tan Son Nhut Air Base was later named “Davis Station” in his honor. Throughout the Vietnam War, ASA personnel worked in close coordination with the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Air Force Security Service, and Navy intelligence units. Their work remained classified for decades. Despite the high-risk nature of their missions, ASA soldiers were generally non-combatants operating in a military intelligence capacity, though many saw combat or were exposed to hostile fire due to their proximity to enemy forces. The ASA continued its global intelligence operations through the 1970s but was eventually dissolved in 1977. Its functions were absorbed into the U.S. Army Intelligence and Security Command (INSCOM), consolidating Army intelligence efforts under a single command structure. Though no longer active, the ASA's legacy endures in the modern electronic warfare and signals intelligence capabilities of the U.S. Army. We're grateful to UPMC for Life  for sponsoring this event!

Quang X. Pham is a biotech executive, war veteran, author, speaker, and community leader with a remarkable journey shaped by resilience, service, and entrepreneurship. He made history as the first Vietnamese American to earn naval aviator's wings in the Marine Corps and lead an initial public offering (IPO) on Nasdaq. How can someone starting as an underdog in this country (this area, this company) succeed? Why did you join the Marines, and what did you learn from your service? How did you overcome the business and personal obstacles in your life? What did you do to prepare for the leaps in your life, from the Marines to business, from entrepreneur to author, back to entrepreneur, from startup to IPO, and back to author? Why is it hard for Americans to understand/accept the high cost of prescription drugs? Quang Pham Quang X. Pham is a biotech executive, war veteran, author, speaker, and community leader with a remarkable journey shaped by resilience, service, and entrepreneurship. He made history as the first Vietnamese American to earn naval aviator's wings in the Marine Corps and lead an initial public offering (IPO) on Nasdaq. His inspiring American underdog journey, told in first person, is unlike any other. Born in Saigon, South Vietnam, Quang and his family fled as refugees when he was 10, while his father, a Republic of Vietnam Air Force pilot, remained and was imprisoned for more than a decade. After earning a degree from UCLA, Quang served seven years on active duty, flying CH-46 helicopters in the Persian Gulf War, Somalia, and in the Reserves. Following his military career, Quang transitioned into business, founding multiple pharmaceutical companies. In 2000, he launched MyDrugRep.com (which became Lathian Systems), an innovative online platform for physician marketing engagements, which was later acquired. In 2015, he founded Espero Pharmaceuticals and Jacksonville Pharmaceuticals. His leadership and entrepreneurial success earned him the Florida EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2018. Today, Quang serves as Chairman and CEO of Cadrenal Therapeutics (Nasdaq: CVKD). Quang is also the author of the award-winning father-son memoir, A Sense of Duty: Our Journey from Vietnam (Penguin Random House, 2005), as well as his new book, Underdog Nation: Unleash Your Inner Underdog by Starting with Success. Committed to giving back, Quang has served on the boards of private companies, veteran charities, and educational organizations. He lives in Florida with his family, continuing to lead and inspire. Excellent Executive Coaching Podcast If you have enjoyed this episode, subscribe to our podcast on iTunes. We would love for you to leave a review. The EEC podcasts are sponsored by MKB Excellent Executive Coaching that helps you get from where you are to where you want to be with customized leadership and coaching development programs. MKB Excellent Executive Coaching offers leadership development programs to generate action, learning, and change that is aligned with your authentic self and values. Transform your dreams into reality and invest in yourself by scheduling a discovery session with Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC to reach your goals. Your host is Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, founder and general manager of Excellent Executive Coaching a company that specializes in leadership development.

MARK RONSON – PORTRAIT OOH WEE Mark Ronson feat. Ghostface Killah, Nate Dogg, Trife, Saigon 2003 MAGNIFICENT Estelle 2008 MOST LIKELY YOU GO YOUR WAY (AND I'LL GO MINE) (Re-Version)... LEARN MORE The post TTBA Replay 12SEP2025 Pt. 2 appeared first on Turn the Beat Around.

In this episode I speak with Saigon native, Kim Nguyen. Kim moved to the UK as a teenager to study and stayed for 6 years, meeting her boyfriend in the process who now lives with her in Saigon.  Returning to Vietnam in 2018, Kim has a unique perspective on both living overseas and in Vietnam and has some helpful tips for young Vietnamese students thinking of studying overseas. She currently works in the music industry as a marketing executive, managing exciting and talented local talent. "Send me a message!"This Season is sponsored by Premier Dental.Discover the potential of a confident and healthy smile with the excellent dental clinic in Ho Chi Minh Support the show

Send us a textIn this episode we are joined by two special guests, Steve Ford (the youngest son of President and Mrs. Ford) and adoptee Thuy Williams to mark the 50th anniversary of Operation Babylift, the frantic evacuation ordered by U.S. President Gerald R. Ford of Vietnamese war orphans in the final days of Saigon in 1975. The Pan Am Museum, in partnership with the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation and the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library & Museum, commissioned filmmaker Dirk Braun to create the documentary short film, Operation Babylift: 50 Years Later: 1975-2025, A Celebration of the Human Spirit.Steve Ford has enjoyed a remarkable acting career spanning over 40 years, with appearances in more than 800 hours of film and television productions. He has worked on over 25 films and numerous guest-lead roles in television. Early in his career, Steve spent six years playing Andy Richards on the CBS daytime soap opera The Young and the Restless. His film and TV credits include Transformers, Black Hawk Down, Contact, Armageddon, Starship Troopers, Eraser, Heat, When Harry Met Sally, J.A.G., Columbo, Murder She Wrote, Happy Days, along with many others.Steve is the third and youngest son of President and Mrs. Gerald R. Ford. He currently serves on the Board of the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation. Adoptee Thuy Williams was born in Ho Chi Minh City in 1970. When she became an adult, she wanted to serve the country that gave her a second chance by joining the U.S. Army as a tank mechanic. After serving for eight years, Thuy returned to her adoptive hometown of Portland, Oregon and started her own business, a construction and roofing company called Acme High Performance. She is also a missionary with One Challenge and a coach of soccer, track, and lacrosse…spending her time traveling the world, using sports to bridge the gap with traumatized people in refugee camps in third-world countries and helps these kids process trauma by using sports as a way to create friendships and smiles. Thuy is on the board the nonprofit Breaking Boundaries, which takes kids from the US to do community service projects in third-world countries. Like Steve Ford, Thuy is also motivational speaker encouraging people to make a difference in their communities that leaves a lasting legacy for generations to come. Support the show Visit Us for more Pan Am History! Support the Podcast! Donate to the Museum! Visit The Hangar online store for Pan Am gear! Become a Member! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter!A very special thanks to Mr. Adam Aron, Chairman and CEO of AMC and president of the Pan Am Historical Foundation and Pan Am Brands for their continued and unwavering support!

“It's like you're wearing our face, but you're not really us.” – Devin HongThis episode with Devin was one of those conversations that reminded me why I started this podcast in the first place. Devin's journey—from leaving Vietnam as a child, growing up in California, then returning decades later—was powerful, funny, and deeply honest. I loved hearing his perspective on identity, belonging, and what it really means to come “home.”I also found myself relating to so much of his story. The way he described friendships that come and go, or how the noise and chaos of Saigon can both overwhelm and energize you—these are things I've felt myself in the nine years I've been here. This was more than just an interview; it was a genuine exchange about life, culture, and what makes Vietnam such a unique place to live.Key Talking PointsGrowing up between cultures: Vietnamese roots, American upbringing, and hip-hop identity.The unique struggles and joys of returning to Vietnam as a Viet Kieu (Overseas Vietnamese).Acting experiences in LA vs. Vietnam, from commercials to difficult industry moments.Cultural differences in communication, work, and relationships.Finding real connections in Saigon beyond the expat and Viet Kieu bubbles.Chapters[00:00] Welcome & Introduction – Why Devin's story matters.[06:00] Acting Experiences – Commercials, makeup, and cultural beauty standards.[13:00] Growing Up in the US – Identity struggles, stereotypes, and hip-hop culture.[24:00] Challenges in the Industry – Standing up for values in acting.[33:00] Returning to Vietnam – Family reactions, struggles, and healing[46:00] Community & Belonging – VQ groups, friendships, and finding real connections.Follow Devin:https://www.Instagram.com/dev1nairehttps://www.facebook.com/share/1CqTZqiGBQ/"Send me a message!"This Season is sponsored by Premier Dental.Discover the potential of a confident and healthy smile with the excellent dental clinic in Ho Chi Minh Support the show

In this episode of Food Rebels, AJ Sharp is joined by Thuy Hoang, quarter-finalist of MasterChef 2023 and one of the UK's stars in Vietnamese cuisine. Born in Saigon and arriving in the UK as a child refugee, Thuy shares her remarkable personal story and how food became a way for her family to preserve their culture and identity. AJ and Thuy dive into her MasterChef experience, the lessons she took from the competition, and her mission to showcase the vibrancy and distinctiveness of Vietnamese food in the UK. From cooking on festival stages alongside celebrity chefs to publishing restaurant reviews in Time Out, Thuy has quickly become a powerful voice for Vietnamese food and culture. Listeners will hear about her favourite Vietnamese-inspired recipes, the misconceptions she's keen to challenge, and what exciting projects lie ahead. This is a conversation about resilience, heritage, and how food can tell the most powerful stories of all.

My first guest on Seven Million Bikes is JK Hobson. As a finalist in the 2018 Vietnam Comedy Competition JK is known by many in Saigon as a stand-up, but is a man of many talents. We had so much to talk about I've split this first episode into two parts.Growing up in New York, JK moved to LA with his “fairly well known” thrash-metal band, Crisis. After Crisis split and he returned to University, JK initially came to Vietnam on a study abroad program in 2015, returning in 2016 on a Fulbright Scholarship. He went on to co-found Saigon Funny People, regularly hosting open mic nights and performing stand-up comedy. JK now writes for City Pass Guide, Saigoneer and TaleCity, has appeared on Vietnamese TV AND teaches English. The main questions I'll be asking JK is ‘What do you not do? And where do you find the time?'Part 2Moving forward to 2015 when JK first came to Vietnam we talk about his life here, speaking Vietnamese and why he loves it here. Right mouse click the link to open in a new tab.Where to get the Bò kho JK talked about."Send me a message!"This Season is sponsored by Premier Dental.Discover the potential of a confident and healthy smile with the excellent dental clinic in Ho Chi Minh Support the show

Last time we spoke about the Soviet Victory in Asia. After atomic bombings and Japan's surrender, the Soviets launched a rapid Manchurian invasion, driving toward Harbin, Mukden, Changchun, and Beijing. Shenyang was taken, seeing the capture of the last Emperor of China, Pu Yi. The Soviets continued their advances into Korea with port captures at Gensan and Pyongyang, and occupation of South Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands, ahead of anticipated American intervention. Stalin pushed for speed to avoid US naval landings, coordinating with Chinese forces and leveraging the Sino-Soviet pact while balancing relations with Chiang Kai-shek. As fronts closed, tens of thousands of Japanese POWs were taken, while harsh wartime reprisals, looting, and mass sexual violence against Japanese, Korean, and Chinese civilians were reported.  This episode is the Surrender of Japan Welcome to the Pacific War Podcast Week by Week, I am your dutiful host Craig Watson. But, before we start I want to also remind you this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Perhaps you want to learn more about world war two? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on world war two and much more  so go give them a look over on Youtube. So please subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry for some more history related content, over on my channel, the Pacific War Channel you can find a few videos all the way from the Opium Wars of the 1800's until the end of the Pacific War in 1945.  With the Manchurian Campaign over and Japan's surrender confirmed, we've reached the end of the Pacific War and the ushering of a new era. This journey took us 3 years, 8 months, and 27 days and it's been a rollercoaster. We've gone over numerous stories of heroism and horror, victory and defeat, trying to peel back a part of WW2 that often gets overshadowed by the war in Europe. Certainly the China War is almost completely ignored by the west, but fortunately for you all, as I end this series we have just entered the China war over at the Fall and Rise of China Podcast. Unlike this series where, to be blunt, I am hamstrung by the week by week format, over there I can tackle the subject as I see fit, full of personal accounts. I implore you if you want to revisit some of that action in China, jump over to the other podcast, I will be continuing it until the end of the Chinese civil war. One could say it will soon be a bit of a sequel to this one. Of course if you love this format and want more, you can check out the brand new Eastern Front week by week podcast, which really does match the horror of the Pacific war. Lastly if you just love hearing my dumb voice, come check out my podcast which also is in video format on the Pacific War Channel on Youtube, the Echoes of War podcast. Me and my co-host Gaurav tackle history from Ancient to Modern, often with guests and we blend the dialogue with maps, photos and clips. But stating all of that, lets get into it, the surrender of Japan. As we last saw, while the Soviet invasion of Manchuria raged, Emperor Hirohito announced the unconditional surrender of the Japanese Empire on August 15. Public reaction varied, yet most were stunned and bewildered, unable to grasp that Japan had surrendered for the first time in its history. Many wept openly as they listened to the Emperor's solemn message; others directed swift anger at the nation's leaders and the fighting services for failing to avert defeat; and some blamed themselves for falling short in their war effort. Above all, there was a deep sympathy for the Emperor, who had been forced to make such a tragic and painful decision.  In the wake of the Emperor's broadcast, war factories across the country dismissed their workers and shut their doors. Newspapers that had been ordered to pause their usual morning editions appeared in the afternoon, each carrying the Imperial Rescript, an unabridged translation of the Potsdam Declaration, and the notes exchanged with the Allied Powers. In Tokyo, crowds of weeping citizens gathered all afternoon in the vast plaza before the Imperial Palace and at the Meiji and Yasukuni Shrines to bow in reverence and prayer. The shock and grief of the moment, coupled with the dark uncertainty about the future, prevented any widespread sense of relief that the fighting had ended. Bombings and bloodshed were over, but defeat seemed likely to bring only continued hardship and privation. Starvation already gripped the land, and the nation faced the looming breakdown of public discipline and order, acts of violence and oppression by occupying forces, and a heavy burden of reparations. Yet despite the grim outlook, the Emperor's assurance that he would remain to guide the people through the difficult days ahead offered a measure of solace and courage. His appeal for strict compliance with the Imperial will left a lasting impression, and the refrain “Reverent Obedience to the Rescript” became the rallying cry as the nation prepared to endure the consequences of capitulation. Immediately after the Emperor's broadcast, Prime Minister Suzuki's cabinet tendered its collective resignation, yet Hirohito commanded them to remain in office until a new cabinet could be formed. Accordingly, Suzuki delivered another broadcast that evening, urging the nation to unite in absolute loyalty to the throne in this grave national crisis, and stressing that the Emperor's decision to end the war had been taken out of compassion for his subjects and in careful consideration of the circumstances. Thus, the shocked and grief-stricken population understood that this decision represented the Emperor's actual will rather than a ratified act of the Government, assuring that the nation as a whole would obediently accept the Imperial command. Consequently, most Japanese simply went on with their lives as best they could; yet some military officers, such as General Anami, chose suicide over surrender. Another key figure who committed seppuku between August 15 and 16 was Vice-Admiral Onishi Takijiro, the father of the kamikaze. Onishi's suicide note apologized to the roughly 4,000 pilots he had sent to their deaths and urged all surviving young civilians to work toward rebuilding Japan and fostering peace among nations. Additionally, despite being called “the hero of the August 15 incident” for his peacekeeping role in the attempted coup d'état, General Tanaka felt responsible for the damage done to Tokyo and shot himself on August 24. Following the final Imperial conference on 14 August, the Army's “Big Three”, War Minister Anami, Chief of the Army General Staff Umezu, and Inspectorate-General of Military Training General Kenji Doihara, met at the War Ministry together with Field Marshals Hata and Sugiyama, the senior operational commanders of the homeland's Army forces. These five men affixed their seals to a joint resolution pledging that the Army would “conduct itself in accordance with the Imperial decision to the last.” The resolution was endorsed immediately afterward by General Masakazu Kawabe, the overall commander of the Army air forces in the homeland. In accordance with this decision, General Anami and General Umezu separately convened meetings of their senior subordinates during the afternoon of the 14th, informing them of the outcome of the final Imperial conference and directing strict obedience to the Emperor's command. Shortly thereafter, special instructions to the same effect were radioed to all top operational commanders jointly in the names of the War Minister and Chief of Army General Staff. The Army and Navy authorities acted promptly, and their decisive stance proved, for the most part, highly effective. In the Army, where the threat of upheaval was most acute, the final, unequivocal decision of its top leaders to heed the Emperor's will delivered a crippling blow to the smoldering coup plot by the young officers to block the surrender. The conspirators had based their plans on unified action by the Army as a whole; with that unified stance effectively ruled out, most of the principal plotters reluctantly abandoned the coup d'état scheme on the afternoon of 14 August. At the same time, the weakened Imperial Japanese Navy took steps to ensure disciplined compliance with the surrender decision. Only Admiral Ugaki chose to challenge this with his final actions. After listening to Japan's defeat, Admiral Ugaki Kayō's diary recorded that he had not yet received an official cease-fire order, and that, since he alone was to blame for the failure of Japanese aviators to stop the American advance, he would fly one last mission himself to embody the true spirit of bushido. His subordinates protested, and even after Ugaki had climbed into the back seat of a Yokosuka D4Y4 of the 701st Kokutai dive bomber piloted by Lieutenant Tatsuo Nakatsuru, Warrant Officer Akiyoshi Endo, whose place in the kamikaze roster Ugaki had usurped, also climbed into the same space that the admiral had already occupied. Thus, the aircraft containing Ugaki took off with three men piloted by Nakatsuru, with Endo providing reconnaissance, and Ugaki himself, rather than the two crew members that filled the other ten aircraft. Before boarding his aircraft, Ugaki posed for pictures and removed his rank insignia from his dark green uniform, taking only a ceremonial short sword given to him by Admiral Yamamoto. Elements of this last flight most likely followed the Ryukyu flyway southwest to the many small islands north of Okinawa, where U.S. forces were still on alert at the potential end of hostilities. Endo served as radioman during the mission, sending Ugaki's final messages, the last of which at 19:24 reported that the plane had begun its dive onto an American vessel. However, U.S. Navy records do not indicate any successful kamikaze attack on that day, and it is likely that all aircraft on the mission with the exception of three that returned due to engine problems crashed into the ocean, struck down by American anti-aircraft fire. Although there are no precise accounts of an intercept made by Navy or Marine fighters or Pacific Fleet surface units against enemy aircraft in this vicinity at the time of surrender. it is likely the aircraft crashed into the ocean or was shot down by American anti-aircraft fire. In any event, the crew of LST-926 reported finding the still-smoldering remains of a cockpit with three bodies on the beach of Iheyajima Island, with Ugaki's remains allegedly among them. Meanwhile, we have already covered the Truman–Stalin agreement that Japanese forces north of the 38th parallel would surrender to the Soviets while those to the south would surrender to the Americans, along with the subsequent Soviet occupation of Manchuria, North Korea, South Sakhalin, and the Kurile Islands. Yet even before the first atomic bomb was dropped, and well before the Potsdam Conference, General MacArthur and his staff were planning a peaceful occupation of Japan and the Korean Peninsula. The first edition of this plan, designated “Blacklist,” appeared on July 16 and called for a progressive, orderly occupation in strength of an estimated fourteen major areas in Japan and three to six areas in Korea, so that the Allies could exercise unhampered control over the various phases of administration. These operations would employ 22 divisions and 3 regiments, together with air and naval elements, and would utilize all United States forces immediately available in the Pacific. The plan also provided for the maximum use of existing Japanese political and administrative organizations, since these agencies already exerted effective control over the population and could be employed to good advantage by the Allies. The final edition of “Blacklist,” issued on August 8, was divided into three main phases of occupation. The first phase included the Kanto Plain, the Kobe–Osaka–Kyoto areas, the Nagasaki–Sasebo area in Kyushu, the Keijo district in Korea, and the Aomori–Ominato area of northern Honshu. The second phase covered the Shimonoseki–Fukuoka and Nagoya areas, Sapporo in Hokkaido, and Fusan in Korea. The third phase comprised the Hiroshima–Kure area, Kochi in Shikoku, the Okayama, Tsuruga, and Niigata areas, Sendai in northern Honshu, Otomari in Karafuto, and the Gunzan–Zenshu area in Korea. Although the Joint Chiefs of Staff initially favored Admiral Nimitz's “Campus” Plan, which envisioned entry into Japan by Army forces only after an emergency occupation of Tokyo Bay by advanced naval units and the seizure of key positions ashore near each anchorage, MacArthur argued that naval forces were not designed to perform the preliminary occupation of a hostile country whose ground divisions remained intact, and he contended that occupying large land areas was fundamentally an Army mission. He ultimately convinced them that occupation by a weak Allied force might provoke resistance from dissident Japanese elements among the bomb-shattered population and could therefore lead to grave repercussions. The formal directive for the occupation of Japan, Korea, and the China coast was issued by the Joint Chiefs of Staff on August 11. The immediate objectives were to secure the early entry of occupying forces into major strategic areas, to control critical ports, port facilities, and airfields, and to demobilize and disarm enemy troops. First priority went to the prompt occupation of Japan, second to the consolidation of Keijo in Korea, and third to operations on the China coast and in Formosa. MacArthur was to assume responsibility for the forces entering Japan and Korea; General Wedemeyer was assigned operational control of the forces landing on the China coast and was instructed to coordinate his plans with the Generalissimo Chiang Kai-Shek; and Japanese forces in Southeast Asia were earmarked for surrender to Admiral Mountbatten. With the agreement of the Soviet, Chinese, and British governments, President Truman designated MacArthur as Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers on August 15, thereby granting him final authority for the execution of the terms of surrender and occupation. In this capacity, MacArthur promptly notified the Emperor and the Japanese Government that he was authorized to arrange for the cessation of hostilities at the earliest practicable date and directed that the Japanese forces terminate hostilities immediately and that he be notified at once of the effective date and hour of such termination. He further directed that Japan send to Manila on August 17 “a competent representative empowered to receive in the name of the Emperor of Japan, the Japanese Imperial Government, and the Japanese Imperial General Headquarters certain requirements for carrying into effect the terms of surrender.” General MacArthur's stipulations to the Japanese Government included specific instructions regarding the journey of the Japanese representatives to Manila. The emissaries were to leave Sata Misaki, at the southern tip of Kyushu, on the morning of August 17. They were to travel in a Douglas DC-3-type transport plane, painted white and marked with green crosses on the wings and fuselage, and to fly under Allied escort to an airdrome on Lejima in the Ryukyus. From there, the Japanese would be transported to Manila in a United States plane. The code designation chosen for communication between the Japanese plane and US forces was the symbolic word “Bataan.” Implementation challenges arose almost immediately due to disagreements within Imperial General Headquarters and the Foreign Office over the exact nature of the mission. Some officials interpreted the instructions as requiring the delegates to carry full powers to receive and agree to the actual terms of surrender, effectively making them top representatives of the Government and High Command. Others understood the mission to be strictly preparatory, aimed only at working out technical surrender arrangements and procedures. Late in the afternoon of August 16, a message was sent to MacArthur's headquarters seeking clarification and more time to organize the mission. MacArthur replied that signing the surrender terms would not be among the tasks of the Japanese representatives dispatched to Manila, assured the Japanese that their proposed measures were satisfactory, and pledged that every precaution would be taken to ensure the safety of the Emperor's representatives on their mission. Although preparations were made with all possible speed, on August 16 the Japanese notified that this delegation would be somewhat delayed due to the scarcity of time allowed for its formation. At the same time, MacArthur was notified that Hirohito had issued an order commanding the entire armed forces of his nation to halt their fighting immediately. The wide dispersion and the disrupted communications of the Japanese forces, however, made the rapid and complete implementation of such an order exceedingly difficult, so it was expected that the Imperial order would take approximately two to twelve days to reach forces throughout the Pacific and Asiatic areas. On August 17, the Emperor personally backed up these orders with a special Rescript to the armed services, carefully worded to assuage military aversion to surrender. Suzuki was also replaced on this date, with the former commander of the General Defense Army, General Prince Higashikuni Naruhiko, becoming the new Prime Minister with the initial tasks to hastily form a new cabinet capable of effecting the difficult transition to peace swiftly and without incident. The Government and Imperial General Headquarters moved quickly to hasten the preparations, but the appointment of the mission's head was held up pending the installation of the Higashikuni Cabinet. The premier-designate pressed for a rapid formation of the government, and on the afternoon of the 17th the official ceremony of installation took place in the Emperor's presence. Until General Shimomura could be summoned to Tokyo from the North China Area Army, Prince Higashikuni himself assumed the portfolio of War Minister concurrently with the premiership, Admiral Mitsumasa Yonai remaining in the critical post of Navy Minister, and Prince Ayamaro Konoe, by Marquis Kido's recommendation, entered the Cabinet as Minister without Portfolio to act as Higashikuni's closest advisor. The Foreign Minister role went to Mamoru Shigemitsu, who had previously served in the Koiso Cabinet. With the new government installed, Prince Higashikuni broadcast to the nation on the evening of 17 August, declaring that his policies as Premier would conform to the Emperor's wishes as expressed in the Imperial mandate to form a Cabinet. These policies were to control the armed forces, maintain public order, and surmount the national crisis, with scrupulous respect for the Constitution and the Imperial Rescript terminating the war. The cabinet's installation removed one delay, and in the afternoon of the same day a message from General MacArthur's headquarters clarified the mission's nature and purpose. Based on this clarification, it was promptly decided that Lieutenant General Torashiro Kawabe, Deputy Chief of the Army General Staff, should head a delegation of sixteen members, mainly representing the Army and Navy General Staffs. Kawabe was formally appointed by the Emperor on 18 August. By late afternoon that same day, the data required by the Allied Supreme Commander had largely been assembled, and a message was dispatched to Manila informing General MacArthur's headquarters that the mission was prepared to depart the following morning. The itinerary received prompt approval from the Supreme Commander. Indeed, the decision to appoint a member of the Imperial Family who had a respectable career in the armed forces was aimed both at appeasing the population and at reassuring the military. MacArthur appointed General Eichelberger's 8th Army to initiate the occupation unassisted through September 22, at which point General Krueger's 6th Army would join the effort. General Hodge's 24th Corps was assigned to execute Operation Blacklist Forty, the occupation of the Korean Peninsula south of the 38th Parallel. MacArthur's tentative schedule for the occupation outlined an initial advance party of 150 communications experts and engineers under Colonel Charles Tench, which would land at Atsugi Airfield on August 23. Naval forces under Admiral Halsey's 3rd Fleet were to enter Tokyo Bay on August 24, followed by MacArthur's arrival at Atsugi the next day and the start of the main landings of airborne troops and naval and marine forces. The formal surrender instrument was to be signed aboard an American battleship in Tokyo Bay on August 28, with initial troop landings in southern Kyushu planned for August 29–30. By September 4, Hodge's 24th Corps was to land at Inchon and begin the occupation of South Korea. In the meantime, per MacArthur's directions, a sixteen-man Japanese delegation headed by Lieutenant-General Kawabe Torashiro, Vice-Chief of the Army General Staff, left Sata Misaki on the morning of August 19; after landing at Iejima, the delegation transferred to an American transport and arrived at Nichols Field at about 18:00. That night, the representatives held their first conference with MacArthur's staff, led by Lieutenant-General Richard Sutherland. During the two days of conference, American linguists scanned, translated, and photostated the various reports, maps, and charts the Japanese had brought with them. Negotiations also resulted in permission for the Japanese to supervise the disarmament and demobilization of their own armed forces under Allied supervision, and provided for three extra days of preparation before the first occupying unit landed on the Japanese home islands on August 26. At the close of the conference, Kawabe was handed the documents containing the “Requirements of the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers,” which concerned the arrival of the first echelons of Allied forces, the formal surrender ceremony, and the reception of the occupation forces. Also given were a draft Imperial Proclamation by which the Emperor would accept the terms of the Potsdam Declaration and command his subjects to cease hostilities, a copy of General Order No. 1 by which Imperial General Headquarters would direct all military and naval commanders to lay down their arms and surrender their units to designated Allied commanders, and the Instrument of Surrender itself, which would later be signed on board an American battleship in Tokyo Bay. After the Manila Conference ended, the Japanese delegation began its return to Japan at 13:00 on August 20; but due to mechanical problems and a forced landing near Hamamatsu, they did not reach Tokyo until August 21. With the scheduled arrival of the advanced party of the Allied occupation forces only five days away, the Japanese immediately began disarming combat units in the initial-occupation areas and evacuating them from those areas. The basic orders stated that Allied forces would begin occupying the homeland on 26 August and reaffirmed the intention ofImperial General Headquarters "to insure absolute obedience to the Imperial Rescript of 14 August, to prevent the occurrence of trouble with the occupying forces, and thus to demonstrate Japan's sincerity to the world." The Japanese government announced that all phases of the occupation by Allied troops would be peaceful and urged the public not to panic or resort to violence against the occupying forces. While they sought to reassure the population, they faced die-hard anti-surrender elements within the IJN, with ominous signs of trouble both from Kyushu, where many sea and air special-attack units were poised to meet an invasion, and from Atsugi, the main entry point for Allied airborne troops into the Tokyo Bay area. At Kanoya, Ugaki's successor, Vice-Admiral Kusaka Ryonosuke, hastened the separation of units from their weapons and the evacuation of naval personnel. At Atsugi, an even more threatening situation developed in the Navy's 302nd Air Group. Immediately after the announcement of the surrender, extremist elements in the group led by Captain Kozono Yasuna flew over Atsugi and the surrounding area, scattering leaflets urging the continuation of the war on the ground and claiming that the surrender edict was not the Emperor's true will but the machination of "traitors around the Throne." The extremists, numbering 83 junior officers and noncommissioned officers, did not commit hostile acts but refused to obey orders from their superior commanders. On August 19, Prince Takamatsu, the Emperor's brother and a navy captain, telephoned Atsugi and personally appealed to Captain Kozono and his followers to obey the Imperial decision. This intervention did not end the incident; on August 21 the extremists seized a number of aircraft and flew them to Army airfields in Saitama Prefecture in hopes of gaining support from Army air units. They failed in this attempt, and it was not until August 25 that all members of the group had surrendered. As a result of the Atsugi incident, on August 22 the Emperor dispatched Captain Prince Takamatsu Nabuhito and Vice-Admiral Prince Kuni Asaakira to various naval commands on Honshu and Kyushu to reiterate the necessity of strict obedience to the surrender decision. Both princes immediately left Tokyo to carry out this mission, but the situation improved over the next two days, and they were recalled before completing their tours. By this point, a typhoon struck the Kanto region on the night of August 22, causing heavy damage and interrupting communications and transport vital for evacuating troops from the occupation zone. This led to further delays in Japanese preparations for the arrival of occupation forces, and the Americans ultimately agreed to a two-day postponement of the preliminary landings. On August 27 at 10:30, elements of the 3rd Fleet entered Sagami Bay as the first step in the delayed occupation schedule. At 09:00 on August 28, Tench's advanced party landed at Atsugi to complete technical arrangements for the arrival of the main forces. Two days later, the main body of the airborne occupation forces began streaming into Atsugi, while naval and marine forces simultaneously landed at Yokosuka on the south shore of Tokyo Bay. There were no signs of resistance, and the initial occupation proceeded successfully.  Shortly after 1400, a famous C-54  the name “Bataan” in large letters on its nose circled the field and glided in for a landing. General MacArthur stepped from the aircraft, accompanied by General Sutherland and his staff officers. The operation proceeded smoothly. MacArthur paused momentarily to inspect the airfield, then climbed into a waiting automobile for the drive to Yokohama. Thousands of Japanese troops were posted along the fifteen miles of road from Atsugi to Yokohama to guard the route of the Allied motor cavalcade as it proceeded to the temporary SCAP Headquarters in Japan's great seaport city. The Supreme Commander established his headquarters provisionally in the Yokohama Customs House. The headquarters of the American Eighth Army and the Far East Air Force were also established in Yokohama, and representatives of the United States Pacific Fleet were attached to the Supreme Commander's headquarters. The intensive preparation and excitement surrounding the first landings on the Japanese mainland did not interfere with the mission of affording relief and rescue to Allied personnel who were internees or prisoners in Japan. Despite bad weather delaying the occupation operation, units of the Far East Air Forces and planes from the Third Fleet continued their surveillance missions. On 25 August they began dropping relief supplies, food, medicine, and clothing, to Allied soldiers and civilians in prisoner-of-war and internment camps across the main islands. While the advance echelon of the occupation forces was still on Okinawa, “mercy teams” were organized to accompany the first elements of the Eighth Army Headquarters. Immediately after the initial landings, these teams established contact with the Swiss and Swedish Legations, the International Red Cross, the United States Navy, and the Japanese Liaison Office, and rushed to expedite the release and evacuation, where necessary, of thousands of Allied internees.  On September 1, the Reconnaissance Troop of the 11th Airborne Division conducted a subsidiary airlift operation, flying from Atsugi to occupy Kisarazu Airfield; and on the morning of September 2, the 1st Cavalry Division began landing at Yokohama to secure most of the strategic areas along the shores of Tokyo Bay, with Tokyo itself remaining unoccupied. Concurrently, the surrender ceremony took place aboard Halsey's flagship, the battleship Missouri, crowded with representatives of the United Nations that had participated in the Pacific War.  General MacArthur presided over the epoch-making ceremony, and with the following words he inaugurated the proceedings which would ring down the curtain of war in the Pacific “We are gathered here, representatives of the major warring powers, to conclude a solemn agreement whereby peace may be restored. The issues, involving divergent ideals and ideologies, have been determined on the battlefields of the world and hence are not for our discussion or debate. Nor is it for us here to meet, representing as we do a majority of the people of the earth, in a spirit of distrust, malice or hatred. But rather it is for us, both victors and vanquished, to rise to that higher dignity which alone befits the sacred purposes we are about to serve, committing all our peoples unreservedly to faithful compliance with the understandings they are here formally to assume. It is my earnest hope, and indeed the hope of all mankind, that from this solemn occasion a better world shall emerge out of the blood and carnage of the past — a world dedicated to the dignity of man and the fulfillment of his most cherished wish for freedom, tolerance and justice. The terms and conditions upon which surrender of the Japanese Imperial Forces is here to be given and accepted are contained in the instrument of surrender now before you…”.  The Supreme Commander then invited the two Japanese plenipotentiaries to sign the duplicate surrender documents : Foreign Minister Shigemitsu, on behalf of the Emperor and the Japanese Government, and General Umezu, for the Japanese Imperial General Headquarters. He then called forward two famous former prisoners of the Japanese to stand behind him while he himself affixed his signature to the formal acceptance of the surrender : Gen. Jonathan M. Wainwright, hero of Bataan and Corregidor and Lt. Gen. Sir Arthur E. Percival, who had been forced to yield the British stronghold at Singapore. General MacArthur was followed in turn by Admiral Nimitz, who signed on behalf of the United States. Alongside the recently liberated Generals Wainwright and Percival, who had been captured during the Japanese conquest of the Philippines and Singapore respectively, MacArthur then signed the surrender documents, followed by Admiral Nimitz and representatives of the other United Nations present. The Instrument of Surrender was completely signed within twenty minutes. Shortly afterwards, MacArthur broadcast the announcement of peace to the world, famously saying, “Today the guns are silent.” Immediately following the signing of the surrender articles, the Imperial Proclamation of capitulation was issued, commanding overseas forces to cease hostilities and lay down their arms; however, it would take many days, and in some cases weeks, for the official word of surrender to be carried along Japan's badly disrupted communications channels. Various devices were employed by American commanders to transmit news of final defeat to dispersed and isolated enemy troops, such as plane-strewn leaflets, loudspeaker broadcasts, strategically placed signboards, and prisoner-of-war volunteers. Already, the bypassed Japanese garrison at Mille Atoll had surrendered on August 22; yet the first large-scale surrender of Japanese forces came on August 27, when Lieutenant-General Ishii Yoshio surrendered Morotai and Halmahera to the 93rd Division. On August 30, a British Pacific Fleet force under Rear-Admiral Cecil Harcourt entered Victoria Harbour to begin the liberation of Hong Kong; and the following day, Rear-Admiral Matsubara Masata surrendered Minami-Torishima. In the Marianas, the Japanese commanders on Rota and Pagan Islands relinquished their commands almost simultaneously with the Tokyo Bay ceremony of September 2. Later that day, the same was done by Lieutenant-General Inoue Sadae in the Palaus and by Lieutenant-General Mugikura Shunzaburo and Vice-Admiral Hara Chuichi at Truk in the Carolines. Additionally, as part of Operation Jurist, a British detachment under Vice-Admiral Harold Walker received the surrender of the Japanese garrison on Penang Island. In the Philippines, local commanders in the central Bukidnon Province, Infanta, the Bataan Peninsula, and the Cagayan Valley had already surrendered by September 2. On September 3, General Yamashita and Vice-Admiral Okawachi Denshichi met with General Wainwright, General Percival, and Lieutenant-General Wilhelm Styer, Commanding General of Army Forces of the Western Pacific, to sign the formal surrender of the Japanese forces in the Philippines. With Yamashita's capitulation, subordinate commanders throughout the islands began surrendering in increasing numbers, though some stragglers remained unaware of the capitulation. Concurrently, while Yamashita was yielding his Philippine forces, Lieutenant-General Tachibana Yoshio's 109th Division surrendered in the Bonins on September 3. On September 4, Rear-Admiral Sakaibara Shigematsu and Colonel Chikamori Shigeharu surrendered their garrison on Wake Island, as did the garrison on Aguigan Island in the Marianas. Also on September 4, an advanced party of the 24th Corps landed at Kimpo Airfield near Keijo to prepare the groundwork for the occupation of South Korea; and under Operation Tiderace, Mountbatten's large British and French naval force arrived off Singapore and accepted the surrender of Japanese forces there. On September 5, Rear-Admiral Masuda Nisuke surrendered his garrison on Jaluit Atoll in the Marshalls, as did the garrison of Yap Island. The overall surrender of Japanese forces in the Solomons and Bismarcks and in the Wewak area of New Guinea was finally signed on September 6 by General Imamura Hitoshi and Vice-Admiral Kusaka Jinichi aboard the aircraft carrier Glory off Rabaul, the former center of Japanese power in the South Pacific. Furthermore, Lieutenant-General Nomi Toshio, representing remaining Japanese naval and army forces in the Ryukyus, officially capitulated on September 7 at the headquarters of General Stilwell's 10th Army on Okinawa. The following day, Tokyo was finally occupied by the Americans, and looking south, General Kanda and Vice-Admiral Baron Samejima Tomoshige agreed to travel to General Savige's headquarters at Torokina to sign the surrender of Bougainville. On September 8, Rear-Admiral Kamada Michiaki's 22nd Naval Special Base Force at Samarinda surrendered to General Milford's 7th Australian Division, as did the Japanese garrison on Kosrae Island in the Carolines. On September 9, a wave of surrenders continued: the official capitulation of all Japanese forces in the China Theater occurred at the Central Military Academy in Nanking, with General Okamura surrendering to General He Yingqin, the commander-in-chief of the Republic of China National Revolutionary Army; subsequently, on October 10, 47 divisions from the former Imperial Japanese Army officially surrendered to Chinese military officials and allied representatives at the Forbidden City in Beijing. The broader context of rehabilitation and reconstruction after the protracted war was daunting, with the Nationalists weakened and Chiang Kai-shek's policies contributing to Mao Zedong's strengthened position, shaping the early dynamics of the resumption of the Chinese Civil War. Meanwhile, on September 9, Hodge landed the 7th Division at Inchon to begin the occupation of South Korea. In the throne room of the Governor's Palace at Keijo, soon to be renamed Seoul, the surrender instrument was signed by General Abe Nobuyuki, the Governor-General of Korea; Lieutenant-General Kozuki Yoshio, commander of the 17th Area Army and of the Korean Army; and Vice-Admiral Yamaguchi Gisaburo, commander of the Japanese Naval Forces in Korea. The sequence continued with the 25th Indian Division landing in Selangor and Negeri Sembilan on Malaya to capture Port Dickson, while Lieutenant-General Teshima Fusataro's 2nd Army officially surrendered to General Blamey at Morotai, enabling Australian occupation of much of the eastern Dutch East Indies. On September 10, the Japanese garrisons on the Wotje and Maloelap Atolls in the Marshalls surrendered, and Lieutenant-General Baba Masao surrendered all Japanese forces in North Borneo to General Wootten's 9th Australian Division. After Imamura's surrender, Major-General Kenneth Eather's 11th Australian Division landed at Rabaul to begin occupation, and the garrison on Muschu and Kairiru Islands also capitulated. On September 11, General Adachi finally surrendered his 18th Army in the Wewak area, concluding the bloody New Guinea Campaign, while Major-General Yamamura Hyoe's 71st Independent Mixed Brigade surrendered at Kuching and Lieutenant-General Watanabe Masao's 52nd Independent Mixed Brigade surrendered on Ponape Island in the Carolines. Additionally, the 20th Indian Division, with French troops, arrived at Saigon as part of Operation Masterdom and accepted the surrender of Lieutenant-General Tsuchihashi Yuitsu, who had already met with Viet Minh envoys and agreed to turn power over to the Democratic Republic of Vietnam.  When the Japanese surrendered to the Allies on 15 August 1945, the Viet Minh immediately launched the insurrection they had prepared for a long time. Across the countryside, “People's Revolutionary Committees” took over administrative positions, often acting on their own initiative, and in the cities the Japanese stood by as the Vietnamese took control. By the morning of August 19, the Viet Minh had seized Hanoi, rapidly expanding their control over northern Vietnam in the following days. The Nguyen dynasty, with its puppet government led by Tran Trong Kim, collapsed when Emperor Bao Dai abdicated on August 25. By late August, the Viet Minh controlled most of Vietnam. On 2 September, in Hanoi's Ba Dinh Square, Ho Chi Minh proclaimed the independence of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. As the Viet Minh began extending control across the country, the new government's attention turned to the arrival of Allied troops and the French attempt to reassert colonial authority, signaling the onset of a new and contentious phase in Vietnam's struggle.  French Indochina had been left in chaos by the Japanese occupation. On 11 September British and Indian troops of the 20th Indian Division under Major General Douglas Gracey arrived at Saigon as part of Operation Masterdom. After the Japanese surrender, all French prisoners had been gathered on the outskirts of Saigon and Hanoi, and the sentries disappeared on 18 September; six months of captivity cost an additional 1,500 lives. By 22 September 1945, all prisoners were liberated by Gracey's men, armed, and dispatched in combat units toward Saigon to conquer it from the Viet Minh, later joined by the French Far East Expeditionary Corps, established to fight the Japanese arriving a few weeks later. Around the same time, General Lu Han's 200,000 Chinese National Revolutionary Army troops of the 1st Front Army occupied Indochina north of the 16th parallel, with 90,000 arriving by October; the 62nd Army came on 26 September to Nam Dinh and Haiphong, Lang Son and Cao Bang were occupied by the Guangxi 62nd Army Corps, and the Red River region and Lai Cai were occupied by a column from Yunnan. Lu Han occupied the French governor-general's palace after ejecting the French staff under Sainteny. Consequently, while General Lu Han's Chinese troops occupied northern Indochina and allowed the Vietnamese Provisional Government to remain in control there, the British and French forces would have to contest control of Saigon. On September 12, a surrender instrument was signed at the Singapore Municipal Building for all Southern Army forces in Southeast Asia, the Dutch East Indies, and the eastern islands; General Terauchi, then in a hospital in Saigon after a stroke, learned of Burma's fall and had his deputy commander and leader of the 7th Area Army, Lieutenant-General Itagaki Seishiro, surrender on his behalf to Mountbatten, after which a British military administration was formed to govern the island until March 1946. The Japanese Burma Area Army surrendered the same day as Mountbatten's ceremony in Singapore, and Indian forces in Malaya reached Kuala Lumpur to liberate the Malay capital, though the British were slow to reestablish control over all of Malaya, with eastern Pahang remaining beyond reach for three more weeks. On September 13, the Japanese garrisons on Nauru and Ocean Islands surrendered to Brigadier John Stevenson, and three days later Major-General Okada Umekichi and Vice-Admiral Fujita Ruitaro formally signed the instrument of surrender at Hong Kong. In the meantime, following the Allied call for surrender, Japan had decided to grant Indonesian independence to complicate Dutch reoccupation: Sukarno and Mohammad Hatta signed Indonesia's Proclamation of Independence on August 17 and were appointed president and vice-president the next day, with Indonesian youths spreading news across Java via Japanese news and telegraph facilities and Bandung's news broadcast by radio. The Dutch, as the former colonial power, viewed the republicans as collaborators with the Japanese and sought to restore their colonial rule due to lingering political and economic interests in the former Dutch East Indies, a stance that helped trigger a four-year war for Indonesian independence. Fighting also erupted in Sumatra and the Celebes, though the 26th Indian Division managed to land at Padang on October 10. On October 21, Lieutenant-General Tanabe Moritake and Vice-Admiral Hirose Sueto surrendered all Japanese forces on Sumatra, yet British control over the country would dwindle in the ensuing civil conflict. Meanwhile, Formosa (Taiwan) was placed under the control of the Kuomintang-led Republic of China by General Order No. 1 and the Instrument of Surrender; Chiang Kai-shek appointed General Chen Yi as Chief Executive of Taiwan Province and commander of the Taiwan Garrison Command on September 1. After several days of preparation, an advance party moved into Taihoku on October 5, with additional personnel arriving from Shanghai and Chongqing between October 5 and 24, and on October 25 General Ando Rikichi signed the surrender document at Taipei City Hall. But that's the end for this week, and for the Pacific War.  Boy oh boy, its been a long journey hasn't it? Now before letting you orphans go into the wild, I will remind you, while this podcast has come to an end, I still write and narrate Kings and Generals Eastern Front week by week and the Fall and Rise of China Podcasts. Atop all that I have my own video-podcast Echoes of War, that can be found on Youtube or all podcast platforms. I really hope to continue entertaining you guys, so if you venture over to the other podcasts, comment you came from here! I also have some parting gifts to you all, I have decided to release a few Pacific War related exclusive episodes from my Youtuber Membership / patreon at www.patreon.com/pacificwarchannel. At the time I am writing this, over there I have roughly 32 episodes, one is uploaded every month alongside countless other goodies. Thank you all for being part of this long lasting journey. Kings and Generals literally grabbed me out of the blue when I was but a small silly person doing youtube videos using an old camera, I have barely gotten any better at it. I loved making this series, and I look forward to continuing other series going forward! You know where to find me, if you have any requests going forward the best way to reach me is just comment on my Youtube channel or email me, the email address can be found on my youtube channel. This has been Craig of the Pacific War Channel and narrator of the Pacific war week by week podcast, over and out!

Earlier this year marked the 50th anniversary of the final withdrawal of American troops from South Vietnam, amid a scene in Saigon that could only be described as desperate and chaotic. We begin with Tom Clavin, co-author of "Last Men Out: The True Story of America's Heroic Final Hours in Vietnam." After that comes a portion of a conversation with Lewis Sorley in which he talks about his book "A Better War: The Unexamined Victories and Final Tragedy of America's Last Years in Vietnam." The book was originally published in 1999, and has been re-released in several different editions over the years. Sorley passed away on September 25, 2024 at the age of 90.)

Xin chào and hello! Welcome to Season 3 of Thip Khao Talk Podcast. Legacies of War Advocacy Ambassador, Jenny Nguyen, sits down with author Patricia "Kit" D. Norland!The Saigon Sisters offers the narratives of a group of privileged women who were immersed in a French lycée and later rebelled and fought for independence, starting with France's occupation of Vietnam and continuing through US involvement and life after war ends in 1975.Tracing the lives of nine women, The Saigon Sisters reveals these women's stories as they forsook safety and comfort to struggle for independence, and describes how they adapted to life in the jungle, whether facing bombing raids, malaria, deadly snakes, or other trials. How did they juggle double lives working for the resistance in Saigon? How could they endure having to rely on family members to raise their own children? Why, after being sent to study abroad by anxious parents, did several women choose to return to serve their country? How could they bear open-ended separation from their husbands? How did they cope with sending their children to villages to escape the bombings of Hanoi? In spite of the maelstrom of war, how did they forge careers? And how, in spite of dislocation and distrust following the end of the war in 1975, did these women find each other and rekindle their friendships? Patricia D. Norland answers these questions and more in this powerful and personal approach to history.Purchase the book: https://www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/book/9781501749735/the-saigon-sisters/Learn more about Legacies of War: www.legaciesofwar.orgTheme song by Lao Jazzanova BandThank you to our sponsors Akin Gump and ARTICLE22 and Legacies of War's Lam Vong Circle Members for investing in the preservation of this history.

When Hurricane Katrina made landfall 20 years ago, New Orleans East was especially hard hit. This part of the city is home to a large Vietnamese population, many of whom had experienced fleeing their home in the aftermath of the Fall of Saigon. Yet the Vietnamese community bounced back, in larger numbers, and at a faster rate than many other enclaves. Cyndi Nguyen is a New Orleans East resident and former city council woman who currently serves as the community outreach strategist for New Orleans Regional Transit Authority.  She tells us more about how this community recovered.In the immediate aftermath of Katrina, thousands of displaced people were looking for their missing relatives. Queries popped up on various websites, like Craigslist and Yahoo, but the posts were too scattered to be useful. That's when a group of tech-savvy volunteers came in, led by David Geilhufe. They compiled the information to create one centralized database to find the missing, called PeopleFinder. David joins us from California to discuss PeopleFinder and his work in the aftermath of the storm.Many people displaced from Hurricane Katrina came to Baton Rouge en masse. Faith groups of all kinds took the call to help their needs both spiritually and physically. Report for America corps member Alex Cox spoke with retired interfaith federation executive director Reverend Robin McCullough-Bade about how Katrina weighs on people's spirits to this day. ___Today's episode of Louisiana Considered was hosted by Bob Pavlovich. Our managing producer is Alana Schreiber. We get production support from Garrett Pittman and our assistant producer Aubry Procell.You can listen to Louisiana Considered Monday through Friday at noon and 7 p.m. It's available on Spotify, the NPR App and wherever you get your podcasts. Louisiana Considered wants to hear from you!  Please fill out our pitch line to let us know what kinds of story ideas you have for our show. And while you're at it, fill out our listener survey! We want to keep bringing you the kinds of conversations you'd like to listen to.Louisiana Considered is made possible with support from our listeners. Thank you!

In the 1972 presidential election, Richard Nixon defeated antiwar Democrat George McGovern in a landslide, aided by the announcement of a tentative peace deal. However, South Vietnamese President Thieu rejected the agreement, fearing it would lead to Communist domination. Talks broke down, prompting Nixon to launch the intense “Christmas Bombings” (Operation Linebacker II) in December 1972. The bombings pressured North Vietnam back to the negotiating table. The Paris Peace Accords were signed in January 1973, calling for a U.S. withdrawal and a ceasefire. Nixon forced Thieu to accept the terms, though both North and South Vietnam soon violated the agreement. Later in 1973,the U.S. exited Vietnam, leaving South Vietnam heavily dependent on continued American aid. By 1974, U.S. support dwindled due to the Watergate scandal and Congressional opposition. South Vietnam’s economy and military collapsed under the strain. In late 1974, North Vietnam launched a final offensive. The ARVN, plagued by desertions and logistical failures, crumbled. Saigon fell on April 30, 1975, marking the end of the war and the unification of Vietnam under Communist rule. John Sean and James as they narrate the dramatic final years of the Vietnam War.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“Everyday life in Saigon means navigating sugar in everything—from coffee to orange juice—and I can't have any of it.” – Jane HaMy guest today is Jane Ha, a researcher in behavioral science who has lived in Hanoi, the U.S., the U.K., and now Saigon. Jane's story is as much about resilience as it is about culture—living with diabetes in one of the sweetest food environments in the world, while also studying the consumer habits that shape what we all eat and drink.What struck me most is how her personal challenge with diabetes gave her a unique lens on Vietnam's rapid changes. She sees both the risks of a sugar-heavy culture and the opportunities in the rise of healthier, sugar-free alternatives. And she links it all to bigger shifts: from Gen Z's cocktail culture to the way Vietnamese consumers demand convenience, speed, and personalization.Jane also opened up about the culture shocks of living in Oklahoma and Ohio, where she learned what it really meant to be “different.” Returning to Vietnam, she realized Saigon allowed her to merge all the versions of herself—the East and the West, tradition and modernity—without fear of judgment.This conversation reminded me how food, identity, and culture are all connected. And how Vietnam, in all its complexity, forces us to constantly rethink how we live.Main Talking PointsLiving with diabetes in Vietnam's sugar-saturated food culture.How manufacturers and Gen Z are reshaping health trends.The psychology of Vietnamese shopping: from discounts to convenience.The cultural shift in drinking—from beer halls to cocktail bars.The boom-and-bust nature of Vietnamese trends: milk tea to Manuka honey.Culture shock in Oklahoma and Ohio, and lessons on race and identity.Finding freedom in Saigon as a bridge between East and West.Chapters & Timestamps02:05 | Life with diabetes in Vietnam: sugar everywhere.10:40 | Health awareness, sugar taxes, and new consumer trends.20:15 | Vietnamese shoppers: price-sensitive or value-driven?29:30 | Gen Z's changing drinking culture and the impact of zero-alcohol laws.41:00 | Cocktail bars, milk tea, and why some trends boom then bust.45:20 | From Hanoi to Oklahoma: culture shock and unexpected lessons."Send me a message!"This Season is sponsored by Premier Dental.Discover the potential of a confident and healthy smile with the excellent dental clinic in Ho Chi Minh Support the show

Episode #142 - Ha Nguyen - LOLAH Entertainment This podcast is also available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.Born in a small town in Vietnam, Ha Nguyen was raised with a clear path laid out before her: academic achievement, a professional career, and a life of quiet respectability. For years, she followed that path—studying dentistry for six years at the insistence of her father. But even in the lecture halls and clinical labs, something louder was calling.Music had always been in her bones. As a child, she played piano, fashioned guitars from broomsticks, and recorded her favorite songs from MTV on cassette. It wasn't until her late teens that she picked up a guitar and started taking lessons. In her early twenties, she joined an all-female rock band in Saigon, and soon after, she never looked back.In this conversation, Nguyen is reflective, grounded, and quietly fierce. She speaks of her Buddhist practice not as a performance of spirituality, but as a daily discipline—a reminder to stay present, to stay soft, to stay open. She's also a mother now, a role that has softened some of her edges while sharpening her sense of purpose. Songs like “Best Thing” reflect this shift—less rebellion, more resolution.Follow Ha on Instagram @lolahentertainment or visit her website at lolahentertainment.com Ha was most recently featured in Issue 17.2, “Connect.”

Since 1996, the value of the Dallas Cowboys has outgained the S&P 500 by more than double, increasing 47 times over to a world-record $12.8 billion. That's according to Sportico's latest analysis. Simultaneously, the team has failed to reach the NFC championship game over that same time frame — the longest such drought in the National Football League. In other news, a Dallas firm plans to give a historic downtown hotel new life in a first-of-its-kind project. Sycamore Development plans to renovate the 29-story Magnolia Building placing hotel rooms and for-rent, mixed-income apartments within the Dallas landmark; when Jane Gow was 13 years old, she fled with her family to the United States during the fall of Saigon. That collapse marked the end of the Vietnam War. Fifty years later, the former refugee is using her nonprofit shop, BeKinder Coffee, to help refugees and asylum-seekers build new lives in Dallas; and across Texas, doctors and patients say anxiety, confusion and legal concerns have transformed a routine adherence to standard of care into something new — a standard of fear. An anonymous emergency doctor based in Dallas said the state's abortion ban has created a world of distrust in doctor's offices. Patients don't know if they can trust their physicians. Physicians don't know if they can trust their patients. In “Standard of Fear,” we share doctors' firsthand accounts of the impact Texas' abortion bans have had on their practice. Read the series now at DallasNews.com/Texasabortions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Vietnam War 1/8: Military History. Geoffrey Wawro https://www.amazon.com/Vietnam-War-Military-History/dp/1541606086 The Vietnam War cast a shadow over the American psyche from the moment it began. In its time it sparked budget deficits, campus protests, and an erosion of US influence around the world. Long after the last helicopter evacuated Saigon, Americans have continued to battle over whether it was ever a winnable war. Based on thousands of pages of military, diplomatic, and intelligence documents, Geoffrey Wawro's The Vietnam War offers a definitive account of a war of choice that was doomed from its inception. In devastating detail, Wawro narrates campaigns where US troops struggled even to find the enemy in the South Vietnamese wilderness, let alone kill sufficient numbers to turn the tide in their favor. Yet the war dragged on, prolonged by presidents and military leaders who feared the political consequences of accepting defeat. In the end, no number of young lives lost or bombs dropped could prevent America's ally, the corrupt South Vietnamese regime, from collapsing the moment US troops retreated. Broad, definitive, and illuminating, The Vietnam War offers an unsettling, resonant story of the limitations of American power. 1968 VC

Vietnam War 2/8: Military History. Geoffrey Wawro https://www.amazon.com/Vietnam-War-Military-History/dp/1541606086 The Vietnam War cast a shadow over the American psyche from the moment it began. In its time it sparked budget deficits, campus protests, and an erosion of US influence around the world. Long after the last helicopter evacuated Saigon, Americans have continued to battle over whether it was ever a winnable war. Based on thousands of pages of military, diplomatic, and intelligence documents, Geoffrey Wawro's The Vietnam War offers a definitive account of a war of choice that was doomed from its inception. In devastating detail, Wawro narrates campaigns where US troops struggled even to find the enemy in the South Vietnamese wilderness, let alone kill sufficient numbers to turn the tide in their favor. Yet the war dragged on, prolonged by presidents and military leaders who feared the political consequences of accepting defeat. In the end, no number of young lives lost or bombs dropped could prevent America's ally, the corrupt South Vietnamese regime, from collapsing the moment US troops retreated. Broad, definitive, and illuminating, The Vietnam War offers an unsettling, resonant story of the limitations of American power. 1970

Vietnam War 3/8: Military History. Geoffrey Wawro The Vietnam War cast a shadow over the American psyche from the moment it began. In its time it sparked budget deficits, campus protests, and an erosion of US influence around the world. Long after the last helicopter evacuated Saigon, Americans have continued to battle over whether it was ever a winnable war. Based on thousands of pages of military, diplomatic, and intelligence documents, Geoffrey Wawro's The Vietnam War offers a definitive account of a war of choice that was doomed from its inception. In devastating detail, Wawro narrates campaigns where US troops struggled even to find the enemy in the South Vietnamese wilderness, let alone kill sufficient numbers to turn the tide in their favor. Yet the war dragged on, prolonged by presidents and military leaders who feared the political consequences of accepting defeat. In the end, no number of young lives lost or bombs dropped could prevent America's ally, the corrupt South Vietnamese regime, from collapsing the moment US troops retreated. Broad, definitive, and illuminating, The Vietnam War offers an unsettling, resonant story of the limitations of American power. 1968

The Veterans Breakfast Club is honored to welcome Ross Meador, author of the critically acclaimed memoir Carried Away: A Memoir of Rescue and Survival Among the Orphans of the Viet Nam War, for a 90-minute livestream conversation on Sunday, August 18 at 7:00pm ET. Ross Meador's story is not your typical Vietnam War narrative. In 1975, just before the fall of Saigon, 17-year-old Ross was living in Vietnam with his missionary parents. Amid the chaos and collapse of the South Vietnamese government, Ross became swept up in the desperate efforts to evacuate and protect hundreds of orphaned children left behind in the final days of the war. Carried Away recounts Meador's personal experience as a teenager witnessing—and helping with—what became known as Operation Babylift, the humanitarian effort to rescue thousands of Vietnamese orphans. But Meador's account digs deeper. His story is one of survival, identity, moral conflict, and healing, all told with the clarity of a witness who saw the war not from the battlefield, but from the margins—among the displaced, forgotten, and frightened. This event will explore: Ross's unique perspective as a young civilian during the fall of Saigon His firsthand role in the rescue and evacuation of orphans The emotional and moral complexities of wartime humanitarianism How he came to write his memoir decades later—and why it matters today. As noted in the Novels Alive review, Meador's memoir “treads unfamiliar territory in Vietnam War literature,” offering “a rare glimpse into a lesser-known front of compassion and courage.” #RossMeador #CarriedAway #VietnamWarMemoir #OperationBabylift #VeteransBreakfastClub #VBCLive #VietnamOrphans #FallOfSaigon #WarAndCompassion #VietnamHistory We're grateful to UPMC for Life for sponsoring this event!

Tôi đã cuộc sống giấc mơ Mỹ. - translated from Vietnamese to English means "I have lived the American Dream" Hung Nguyen's indomitable spirit has carried him through life—from escaping the fall of Saigon to currently confronting his battle with liver cancer. His journey is inspiring. You can view the youtube version of this at this link:   https://youtu.be/Nq5cYa45i8E

Have we caught a case of Dutch Disease? Ireland's dependence on foreign multinationals looks less like a golden goose and more like Japanese knotweed, invasive, overwhelming, and slowly strangling everything around it. Yes, the jobs are plentiful and the tax coffers are bulging, but the hidden costs are piling up: small businesses being elbowed out, rents spiralling, public spending ballooning, and a state increasingly captured by the very companies it courts. We trace how multinationals now pay almost 90% of our corporate tax, how graduates are sucked into big tech rather than start-ups, and how housing and wages are being distorted in the process. Ireland's economy, once sold as nimble and entrepreneurial, is bending instead to the whims of boardrooms in California and Basel rather than Leinster House. Along the way we draw comparisons to the Premier League eclipsing Irish football, Trump's short-term deal-making on the world stage, and even brothel keepers in Saigon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Viktoria Altman discuss:Risk and mindset in legal marketingHow to evaluate and choose marketing vendorsNiche focus and ideal client definition as a growth strategyThe emerging impact of AI on search, ads, and brand identity Key Takeaways:Lawyers should stop chasing random acts of marketing and instead copy proven tactics used by competitors who serve the same client profile and budget. Vet agencies should ask to speak with their clients in the same practice area and budget bracket and avoid unrealistically low-priced proposals. Concentrate marketing spend on one prioritized niche or ideal client profile first, then expand once that channel is sustainably profitable. AI-driven search will increasingly assemble a practitioner's brand from published content and reviews, shifting the long game toward owned content (transcripts, guest posts, reviews) and away from manipulable paid placements. "If you are doing anything on social media, it has to come from your heart." —  Viktoria Altman Unlock the secrets of rainmaking success—join Steve Fretzin and four powerhouse legal experts for Be That Lawyer LIVE on August 27; reserve your spot now at fretzin.com/events. Ready to go from good to GOAT in your legal marketing game? Don't miss PIMCON—where the brightest minds in professional services gather to share what really works. Lock in your spot now: https://www.pimcon.org/ Thank you to our Sponsor!Legalverse Media: https://legalversemedia.com/ Ready to grow your law practice without selling or chasing? Book your free 30-minute strategy session now—let's make this your breakout year: https://fretzin.com/ About Viktoria Altman: Viktoria Altman is the founder and CEO of BSPE Legal Marketing, a digital agency dedicated to helping attorneys boost visibility in both AI-driven and traditional search results. Beyond her role as a business leader, Viktoria is also the voice behind the Law Firm Accelerator Podcast and a sought-after keynote speaker, specializing in topics at the intersection of artificial intelligence and digital marketing.At BSPE Legal Marketing, the mission is clear: to generate qualified, conversion-ready leads that connect lawyers directly with their ideal clientele.As an experienced public speaker, Viktoria has presented at prestigious venues such as the New York City Bar Association, served as a guest lecturer at Arizona State University and National University's JFK School of Law, and shared her insights on search engine optimization at the SEO Mastery Summit in Saigon.Drawing from her practical experience as an entrepreneur, Viktoria has honed a proven system to enhance websites, fine-tune AI-based strategies, and support small law firms in staying competitive. Her overarching goal is to empower attorneys to grow thriving, future-ready practices while maintaining the personal well-being and balance they deserve. Connect with Viktoria Altman:  Website: https://bsplegalmarketing.comEmail: viktoria@bsplegalmarketing.comShow: Law Firm Accelerator: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/law-firm-accelerator/id1760159502LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/viktoria-altman/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/viktoria.tralalaInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/traveltipster/ Connect with Steve Fretzin:LinkedIn: Steve FretzinTwitter: @stevefretzinInstagram: @fretzinsteveFacebook: Fretzin, Inc.Website: Fretzin.comEmail: Steve@Fretzin.comBook: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!YouTube: Steve FretzinCall Steve directly at 847-602-6911 Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. 

Our guest today is Phyllis Elmore, a remarkable woman whose story is as unforgettable as the quilts that helped shape her life.Phyllis is the author of Quilt of Souls, a powerful and deeply personal memoir that has touched readers across the country. Born in the Detroit and raised by her grandmother Lula in rural Alabama, Phyllis found herself immersed in a world of deep wisdom, quiet strength, and generational resilience. It was there, surrounded by women who stitched their pain, perseverance, and history into quilts, that Phyllis discovered healing—and the true meaning of family.In 1973, Phyllis joined the United States Air Force and was one of the first female Aircraft Pneudraulic Specialist for the B-52 Bomber. After leaving the Air Force she attended the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, graduating with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Sociology.  In 2001, she joined the Army National Guard as an active-duty guard member. It's also noteworthy to mention that Phyllis was one of only a handful of women in the military who served in three major military conflicts including the Vietnam Era where she served a temporary duty assignment to Vietnam before the 1975 fall of Saigon.  She was also deployed to Saudi Arabia as a member of Operation Desert Storm, and in December 2003 as a member of the Army National Guard where she was deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.In her civilian career she worked as a counselor for incarcerated youth and for women who were victims of domestic violence. She also spent ten years as a Substance Abuse Counseling Supervisor. In her remarkable book Quilt of Souls, Phyllis shares stories that were nearly lost stories of the Black women who raised children not theirs, who held families together through hardship, and who passed down their heritage through hands that stitched, cooked, comforted, and carried so much.Her writing is rich, lyrical, and full of love—an act of remembrance and a celebration of the strength it takes to keep going, and to keep telling the truth.(3:11) Phyllis recounts being uprooted from Detroit at age four and sent to rural Alabama to live with her grandmother, Lula. She describes the powerful emotional refuge of Lula's quilts—especially one that made her feel truly safe for the first time.(8:03) We get to know Grandmother Lula, an indomitable force who stitched not only quilts but entire communities together. Lula lived to be 105 years old and was threading a needle at 100.(15:55) Phyllis reflects on her return to Detroit as a teen, where she was labeled “incorrigible”—and how those experiences shaped her decision to join the U.S. Air Force.(23:57) After her military service, Phyllis worked as a counselor for incarcerated youth and women facing domestic abuse. Hear how she channeled her life experiences into serving others.(27:30) What inspired Quilt of Souls? Phyllis shares the moment she realized that the stories she carried could—and should—be written down.(30:39) She recalls a particularly poignant story unearthed during her research—one that stuck with her and shaped the book's message.(34:27) Meet Miss Jubilee and hear about the extraordinary quilts and lives Phyllis encountered while researching her memoir.(40:43) Discover the Quilt of Souls Preservation Project and get a preview of Phyllis' upcoming Quilt of Souls Gathering in June 2026.(46:15) Phyllis reveals what she hopes readers take away from Quilt of Souls—and why she believes it's never too late to “right” your story.(51:00) What didn't we ask that she wishes we had? Phyllis gives us a thoughtful answer.(52:10) Want to connect with Phyllis? Visit www.thequiltofsouls.com or email her at thequiltofsouls@yahoo.com. Be sure to subscribe to, review and rate this podcast on your favorite platform…and visit our website sewandsopodcast.com for more information about today's and all of our Guests.

“People at home always ask, ‘When are you moving back?' But honestly, I'm not sure I could.” – Krista BernardIf you grew up in a small town—or in Krista's case, a village with 500 people including cows—you'll know the feeling of leaving and never quite seeing it the same again.Adrie Lopez Mackay (yep, my amazing wife) takes over the mic to speak with our good friend Krista Bernard, who traded dairy farms and long Canadian winters for the chaos and charm of Saigon.It's her birthday, she's relaxed, and she's open about it all—from living in Hanoi and blowing out her ACL shortly after moving to Saigon, to discovering the freedom, diversity, and weird quirks of life in Vietnam's biggest city.I loved this episode—not just because Adrie nailed her first time as guest host—but because Krista's story is so familiar to many of us living here. She's honest, reflective, and quietly hilarious.Key Talking Points:From rural Canada to Saigon – Krista's background and what made her move abroad.Cultural contrasts – How small-town life compares to the diversity and pace of a mega city.Overcoming setbacks – Her ACL injury and how it shaped her first year in Saigon.City life discoveries – Food, activities, and travel opportunities in Saigon.Lessons from Taipei – Cleanliness, infrastructure, and what Saigon could learn.Chapters & Timestamps:[00:00] Introduction & Host Debut – Adrie takes over hosting duties and introduces Krista Bernard.[02:10] Growing Up in Rural Canada – Life in a 500-person village and dairy farming roots.[05:15] Choosing Life Abroad – Why Krista left Canada and how friends and family reacted.[07:40] The Move to Saigon & ACL Setback – Injury, recovery, and the struggle to settle in.[12:05] Discovering Saigon – Food variety, activities, and becoming more mobile.[15:20] Taipei vs. Saigon – First impressions of Taipei and what Saigon could learn.[18:45] City Changes & Reflections – Saigon's growth, Western comforts, and life lessons.Whether you've lived abroad or just dreamed about it, this episode is a reminder of what you gain when you leave—and what you leave behind.

Paul met Cuong Phu (sounds like Kung Fu) Nguyen when he started going to a local Vietnamese restaurant. Paul was going there pretty regularly and he had a special order so Cuong Phu would remember Paul and his special order. Now Paul frequents Cuong Phu's restaurant Pho Viet in the Ashland/Atlee area of Hanover County. They talked about Cuong Phu's story which is truly an amazing story of love, courage, hope and faith. Cuong Phu was born in Saigon in 1966 and then in 1982, when he was still fifteen years old, his parents made the decision to send him away. They did this to give him a chance for a better life somewhere else other than communist led Vietnam. Cuong Phu told Paul of his time on small boats, ships and in refugee camps which finally culminated in getting on a plane at age seventeen and landing in Seattle, Washington. He told Paul about the first thing that happened to him when the plane door opened as well as the first meal he had in the United States. Cuong Phu then moved to the Richmond, Virginia area, went to high school and then he was accepted to the Virginia Military Institute for college. He told Paul the unique way he learned English and another skill he had to develop to make it through school. They talked about the situation his parents were in making the decision they made as well as his position as a fifteen year old embarking on an adventure like no other. They finished by talking about his Rat year at VMI and a funny story when one of his roommates introduced Cuong Phu to his dad. Pho Viet is located at 9531 Kings Charter Drive, Ashland, VA. 23005 / https://www.phovietrva.com

This week we tackle the 1987 Comedy / Drama GOOD MORNING VIETNAM! The film, directed by Barry Levinson, stars Robin Williams as Adrian Cronauer, a real-life Armed Forces Radio Service (AFRS) DJ stationed in Saigon during the Vietnam War. Cronauer's irreverent humor and unconventional approach to radio broadcasting made him immensely popular with the troops but created friction with his superiors. The film is celebrated for its blend of humor, drama, and social commentary, offering a unique perspective on the Vietnam War through the lens of radio broadcasting. Hear our take on the film and on the review of SISKEL and EBERT.SUBSCRIBE TODAY!Visit thecultworthy.comVisit https://www.themoviewire.comVideo: https://www.youtube.com/@back2thebalcony

Peter McDowell joins Rick Kogan to talk about his film, ‘Jimmy in Saigon’. Peter dives in on the true meaning of the film and his family’s reaction to the idea of making a film about his late brother. Screening for the film is Friday, August 22nd at 7pm and Sunday, August 24th at 6pm at […]

Derek Champagne interviews Quang X. Pham. Quang is a biotech executive, war veteran, author, speaker, and community leader with a remarkable journey shaped by resilience, service, and entrepreneurship. He made history as the first Vietnamese American to earn naval aviator wings in the Marine Corps and lead an initial public offering (IPO) on Nasdaq.His inspiring American underdog journey, told in first person, is unlike any other. Born in Saigon, South Vietnam, Quang and his family fled as refugees when he was 10, while his father, a Republic of Vietnam Air Force pilot,remained and was imprisoned for more than a decade. After earning a degree from UCLA, Quang served seven years on active duty, flying CH-46 helicopters in the Persian Gulf War, Somalia, and the Reserves. Following his military career, Quang transitioned into business, founding multiple pharmaceutical companies. In 2000, he launched MyDrugRep.com (which became LathianSystems), an innovative online platform for physician marketing engagements, which was later acquired. In 2015, he founded Espero Pharmaceuticals and Jacksonville Pharmaceuticals. His leadership and entrepreneurial success earned him the Florida EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2018. Today Quang serves as Chairman and CEO, Cadrenal Therapeutics (Nasdaq: CVKD).Quang is also the author of the award-winning father-son memoir, A Sense of Duty: Our Journe y from Vietnam (Penguin Random House), and his new book, Underdog Nation: Zero In on Effort and Results for Success (Forbes Books).Committed to giving back, Quang has served on the boards of private companies, veterancharities and educational organizations. He lives in Florida with his family, continuing tolead and inspire.Order Quang's new book here: https://quangxpham.com/books/Business Leadership Series Intro and Outro music provided by Just Off Turner: https://music.apple.com/za/album/the-long-walk-back/268386576

Van Lai-DuMone, founder of worksmart Advantage, is a dynamic force redefining how teams harness creativity and curiosity in the workplace through her groundbreaking Creative Integration™ method. With 20+ years of experience spanning startups to industry giants like Google and LinkedIn, she designs transformative learning experiences that drive innovation from the inside out. A TEDx speaker and author of What If Pigs Can Fly?, Van draws deep inspiration from her mother—a Vietnamese refugee who became one of the first licensed Vietnamese manicurists in the U.S., igniting an $8.3 billion industry. Van's work is a bold invitation to reimagine what's possible when curiosity leads the way. 

Here we join Maj. Gen. Livingston as he talks about his recovery from his wounds from the Battle of Dai Do and his final assignment back to Vietnam for the evacuation of Saigon. Support the show

History is made as Markus Schulz presents the first-ever Global DJ Broadcast World Tour recorded live from Vietnam - captured at the vibrant Ciné nightclub in Saigon. A landmark night for the series and the Vietnamese dance music scene, this set delivers an unforgettable journey across dark techno, melodic trance, and signature Down the Rabbit Hole energy.   Central to the night is the spotlight premiere of Monolith - Markus Schulz's powerful new collaboration with Frankyeffe, releasing this Friday. A 140 BPM fusion of techno intensity and trance emotion, Monolith is a peak-time highlight and centerpiece of the set.   An immersive, genre-blending experience direct from the dancefloor - this is a World Tour moment to remember.   Markus Schulz (Recorded Live from Ciné in Saigon, Vietnam - July 5 2025) 01. Kay D. Smith & Marc Tall - Hoipolloi (Ben Gold Remix) 02. Zhu - Faded (HNTR Edit) 03. Joy Orbinson - Flight FM (Danny Avila Remix) 04. Anyma, Argy & Son of Son - Voices in My Head 05. Markus Schulz - The New World (ID Remix) 06. Robert Nickson - Heliopause (ID Remix) 07. Mark Sixma, Orjan Nilsen, Push & nilsix vs. Layton Giordani, Sarah de Warren & Linney - Act of Urban Shakedown (Markus Schulz Down the Rabbit Hole Mashup) 08. Tiesto & Arkham Knights vs. Belocca - Traffic Metamorphis (Markus Schulz Down the Rabbit Hole Mashup) 09. Markus Schulz & Jochen Miller - Rotunda (Dave Neven Remix) 10. Cristoph - I Will Find You (Charles D Remix) 11. Mike EFEX - Monsters 12. ID - Superstring 13. Markus Schulz x Pavlo Vicci - Get You Higher 14. Markus Schulz x Frankyeffe - Monolith 15. Markus Schulz and Departure with Gabriel & Dresden - Without You Near (Fisherman Remix) 16. HNTR - Victory 17. Gabry Ponte & Jerome Isma-Ae vs. Stylo, Space Motion & Amethyst - Walk Aone, Sucker (Markus Schulz Down the Rabbit Hole Mashup) 18. JOA - Everyday 19. Ummet Ozcan - The Box (Markus Schulz Big Room Reconstruction) 20. Mark Dekoda vs. Bart Skils & Layton Giordani - Rave Harder Valentine (Markus Schulz Down the Rabbit Hole Mashup) 21. Markus Schulz - Remember This (Dream Sequence Remix) 22. BLR, Matt Sassari & Truetone - Submerge 23. ALAT - Theurgia Page 110 24. Massano - Fama Land 25. SMACK featuring Sarah de Warren - C'est la Vie 26. Push - Universal Nation (Daxson Remix) 27. Matt Fax - Axis 28. Mark Reeve & Joyhauser - Focus (Markus Schulz Down the Rabbit Hole Reconstruction) 29. Dirty Vegas - Days Go By (NOMADsignal Remix) 30. Sander van Doorn & Laura van Dam - My Mind (Instrumental Mix) 31. RÜFÜS DU SOL - On My Knees (Cassian Remix) 32. Pig&Dan - On a Train (KhoMha Edit) 33. Kaufmann - Have You Turned Off the Oven 34. Max Styler & Oscar L - Addiction  

Trade: Vietnam settles for 20% and why China protests. #ScalaReport: Chris Riegel CEO, Scala.com @stratacache. 1950 SAIGON

Saigon fell in April 1975. Shortly thereafter Vietnamese immigrants began arriving in New Orleans. Now, fifty years after the fall of Saigon, the Historic New Orleans Collection has created an exhibition telling their stories. Join me as I sit down with Senior Historian and Mark Cave to discuss the details.

Glennon's son, Chase, joins Glennon for a special conversation with his hero, author Ocean Vuong, to discuss: 1. Chase shares with Ocean the impact his work has had in his life–and Glennon thanks Ocean for helping mother her son. 2. What Ocean learned from his mother about how to navigate being an Asian boy in America–and Glennon's recognition that she did not prepare Chase for the same realities. 3. Ocean's new book, Time is a Mother, and why watching his own mother die gave Ocean a deep empathy and connection to every person. 4. His relationship to maleness–and why Ocean is interested in “staying and complicating” masculinity. About Ocean: Ocean Vuong, author of the critically acclaimed poetry collection Night Sky with Exit Wounds, and the New York Times bestselling novel On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous is a recipient of the 2019 MacArthur "Genius Grant" and the winner of the Whiting Award and the T. S. Eliot Prize. In Time Is a Mother, Ocean's newest poetry collection available now, he reckons with his mother's death, embodying the paradox of sitting within grief while being determined to survive beyond it. His writings have been featured in The Atlantic, Harper's Magazine, The Nation, The New Republic, The New Yorker, and The New York Times. Born in Saigon, Vietnam, he currently lives in Northampton, Massachusetts. IG: ⁠ocean_vuong To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices