Vietnam held its 80th National Day on 2 September 2025, tracing its modern beginning to Ho Chi Minh’s declaration at Ba Đình Square in 1945. Reports from that day described the biggest parade Hanoi has hosted in decades.
Tens of thousands camped near Ba Đình Square. They wore red shirts, waved flags, painted faces, and sipped boba tea as they moved toward the stands or watched giant screens.
At dawn, 16,000 troops marched past. They brought tanks, armored vehicles, missile units, amphibious gear, and state-made drones.
Above, helicopters trailed flags and jets performed flyovers. In front, international soldiers—honor guards from China, Russia, Laos, and Cambodia—joined the formations.
A naval display at Cam Ranh Bay showed submarines and seaplanes; Russian Kilo-class submarines surfaced for cameras.
Party chief To Lam spoke at the podium. He praised independence fighters and declared that by 2045 Vietnam would aim to be “powerful, prosperous and happy.” He closed by assuring citizens that Vietnam would not yield its sovereignty, though it sought partnerships abroad.
The government offered every citizen 100,000 dong, around US $3.80. Authorities also announced early release for nearly 14,000 prisoners, including some foreigners.
Later, multiple fireworks shows lit up five sites across Hanoi: Hoàn Kiếm Lake, West Lake, Thống Nhất Park, My Đình Stadium, and Vạn Quán Lake, in coordinated evening displays.
Flags draped balconies large and small, some sculpted in wrought iron, others in plain flats. That visual unity made the cityscape red and gold regardless of architectural style.
Journalists noted that young people cheered and posted videos. They marveled at how much Vietnam’s economy transformed since the 1980s, from a largely agrarian state to a global manufacturer for electronics and apparel brands like Samsung and Nike.
Some young citizens, however, admitted they did not realize how French colonial architecture shapes Hanoi today, such as the foreign ministry or presidential palace bearing Indochine design.
