Professor Nayan Chanda: Enjoy the peace in Ben Tre

Professor Nayan Chanda and his wife came to burn incense and take souvenir photos at the Temple of Female General Nguyen Thi Dinh.

We met Mr. Nayan Chanda at the Nguyen Thi Dinh Memorial Site (Luong Hoa Commune, Giong Trom District), where the heroic memories of the steadfast daughter of Ben Tre are preserved. His figure is still agile, his eyes are deep as if imprinted with the layers of time. This trip back to Vietnam, for him, is not only a journey back to memories, but also a search for peace in his mind. “I have witnessed the end of the war. But this time, I see true peace in every road, river, and in the smiles of the people of Ben Tre,” Mr. Nayan Chanda said emotionally.

As the Indochina correspondent for the Far Eastern Economic Review, Nayan Chanda arrived in Saigon on April 30, 1975. While most international reporters opted to board the plane to fly home, he decided to stay, despite advice from Hong Kong that “no story is worth more than life.” For Chanda, witnessing the end of the war was not only a professional responsibility, but also part of his personal mission as an honest and courageous journalist.

The memories of that fateful morning are still vivid: the roar of helicopters. The desperate crowds jostling at Saigon Port. And the moment the last CH-46 helicopter lifted off the roof of the US Embassy, leaving behind a chaotic Saigon. “I ran after the tanks flying the flag of the National Liberation Front into the Independence Palace. When they waved back, I knew history had turned a page.”

This is the second time Mr. Chanda has returned to Ben Tre. The underlying reason is his friendship with Mr. Bui Huu Nhan - a cadre from the South who had worked with him in Hanoi . "I still remember Mr. Nhan saying that victory for him was simply being able to eat durian and mangosteen from his hometown again, and seeing his mother, brother and nephew again. That is a very real image of peace," Mr. Chanda said.

This time when he returned, Mr. Chanda did not ask about politics . Instead, he discussed and learned about durian and mangosteen - just like his old friend had longed for. In the peaceful countryside, he seemed to relive a part of the lost time.

“The streets of Ben Tre are clean, the people are gentle. The environment is surprisingly fresh,” he shared with eyes sparkling with joy. The experience of catching shrimp in the river and dipping it in salt, a seemingly rustic dish, became the most memorable memory of his journey. “I was really impressed with the fresh taste of the food here. Everything is very unique, very wonderful.”

Currently a university lecturer in India, Mr. Chanda said that after this trip, he will write a special lecture on Vietnam after 50 years of unification, with an important part dedicated to Ho Chi Minh City and Ben Tre. In it, he wants to convey the image of a country rising strongly from the ashes of war, integrating and developing but still maintaining its identity and humane qualities.

“Vietnam today has expanded far, but it has not forgotten its roots. The way Ben Tre people preserve the environment, develop the economy, cherish peace… All of this makes me extremely respectful,” he said.

For Mr. Nayan Chanda, the journey from Saigon in 1975 to Ben Tre today is not only a slice of history, but also a living testament to the healing power of time. He once wrote that the Vietnam War ended on April 30, 1975. But today, he will be able to write more about the peace of Vietnam that is complete in every rhythm of life in villages like Ben Tre...

Professor Nayan Chanda is currently teaching at Ashoka University, India. He is the founder and editor-in-chief of Yale Global Online. Before pursuing academia, he worked in Saigon in 1974-1975 as a correspondent for the Indochina section of the Far Eastern Economic Review, a newspaper based in Hong Kong (China). At the same time, he was also a contributor to Reuters, witnessing the unexpected political and military developments in South Vietnam.

Article and photos: Cam Truc

Source: https://baodongkhoi.vn/giao-su-nayan-chanda-tan-huong-tron-ven-su-yen-binh-o-ben-tre-05052025-a146130.html