Back in Danang

I am not particularly well-versed in the modern political and economic climate in Vietnam, but this story seems positive:

An American warship docked in Vietnam's central port city of Danang on Wednesday, nearly four decades after U.S. Marines splashed ashore here heralding the unofficial start of the Vietnam War.

The arrival of the USS Curtis Wilbur, a guided missile destroyer in the U.S. Seventh Fleet based in Yokosuka, Japan, is only the second American vessel to make a port call in Vietnam since the end of the war.

With four Vietnamese patrol boats acting as guides, the destroyer pulled into Tien Sa port with its flags flying and white-uniformed sailors lining the deck.

And for those looking for less symbolic measures of success:

Since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1995, bilateral ties between the former wartime foes have steadily expanded. A landmark trade agreement in 2001 has led to an explosion in two-way trade, with the United States becoming Vietnam's largest trading partner.

There's a lot of people who, twenty or thirty years ago, would not have been prepared or pleased to see "Made in Vietnam" on any of their possessions. I'm sure there are still some today, but I suspect the more common reaction would be mild surprise or total indifference.