QUOTE (Nero874 @ Jul 11 2004, 05:58 PM)
I'm sure that's true. As much as I detest the communist government, I have to admit they were especially cunning and insightful.
Although the government didn't intend to let so many of its smartest and most educated citizens flee overseas (the "brain drain"), it did realize that the Viet Kieus, after establishing a successful life in America, France, Austrailia, etc, would pour billions back into VN. So that's why you see the government is reaching out to the VK and promoting forgiveness - so it can stick its hands into our pockets.
Ho Chi Minh stated that once the US withdraws, he will lay out a red carpet for them, as a sign of no ill-will for the defeat because he knew that the US would one day contribute greatly to VN. So in 1975 when helicopters were evacuating US soldiers, anti-aircraft missiles locked on to those helicopters - and their defense system were blaring red due to that targeting - that's the red carpet HCM was talking about. No missiles were fired. HCM's forsight has proven true since now, the US is contributing millions of dollars to AIDS victims, and millions for rescue efforts due to floodings some months ago; and these are only recent humanitarian acts.
Another example is the Tet Offensive - the North realized the Viet Congs (pro-communists of the South; my definition of VC is not inclusive of both North and South - just the South) were getting strong, and could pose a problem to their goal of remaining the sole organization in power when S. VN is taken. So they staged the ambitious Tet Offensive that served to sacrifice the Viet Congs. As you know, the Tet Offensive was a major moral victory for the North since the US were very discouraged from continuing fighting, and started to withdraw troops. It was also successful in nearly wiping out the Viet Congs, that any major battles after that were fought by the North.
The Communist govt was evil, but admittingly incredibly deceptively cunning. Only if they would use that insightfulness towards unselfishly HELPING their people instead of getting fat off the misery of the population.
About the government of VN? Deceptively cunning, YES. Insightful, NO.
HCM was no prophet, he could not even forsee the well-versed cunningness of his henchmen. He died but his remain is not resting in peace, it still being used as a "front" for whoring, for scarecrow, for ghost stories.
After taking over the South, the "victor" could not even begin to feel the richness of the South, they slamed the door, robbed from the "Tư Sản Mại Bản" (what an awarked name to call people who owned properties and businesses), sent millions of defeated "enemies" into concentration camps called "trại cải tạo" (what a hoax), took bribes from millions of people to allow them passage out to seas as "boat people". Now the "victor" is singing a new song "Let's forget, let's love" trying to coax all those who left the "victor" in disgust and in fear of reprisals some 30 years ago. Insightful!? No, it's just coincidental luck!
Tet 68 was a low blow to get rid of most of the VC (MTGPMN), just as it has happened to VN Quốc Dân Đảng in '44-'45. Deceptively cunning? Yes, very profitable to throw their "friends" into the wolf pack, more shares for them!
They are using the iron hand ruling to control teh people so they can easily siphon off the foreign investments, the contributions, the international aids for their own personal gains. A few "trophies" are touting with lots of fanfare to show "đổi mới", but the economic gap between "nhân dân" and "đảng" is too deep too wide. Someday they will trip on their own cunning tails and fall off into the gap that they had created.
here is a website that tell the story back in 1975 when the war ended and the reason why people fled and the horrible storys that the boad refugees people experient 
