On Monday, President Biden wrapped up his first visit to Vietnam. Biden and Vietnamese officials agreed to a new strategic relationship between the two countries, which will ideally help to counter China with new plans to export more goods from Vietnam. Biden’s trip to Vietnam was especially interesting because he never served in Vietnam, unlike most men his age, and thus brought a new perspective with him to Vietnam. Biden was accompanied by John Kerry, who served in Vietnam and thus had a deep personal connection to the country. Biden’s lack of connection to Vietnam offered a fresh opportunity to make diplomatic progress without reviving memories of the war and the violence between both nations that existed in the past. While Biden was the right age to serve during Vietnam, he was able to defer his service with education exemptions during college and was then determined unfit for service due to asthma at the end of college. This allowed him to avoid service and run for office instead. Biden's progress shows that Vietnam-US relations are continuing to improve, especially as the memories of Vietnam become more and more forgotten with the passing of generations. US-Vietnam relations have often stalled because previous policy-makers held grudges from the war years, but with younger men and women controlling the rhetoric, more progress can be made than ever, which will help slow China’s advancement as a trade powerhouse.
For Biden, Who Neither Fought in Vietnam Nor Protested War, Trip Offered Opportunity
By: Ben Pienkos
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