Reunification Day, Victory Day or Liberation Day or the official name of Day of liberating the South for national reunification is a public holiday in Vietnam on April 30 annually.
History of Vietnam Reunification Day
It marks the fall of the Saigon government on 30 April 1975 when Viet Cong and North Vietnamese troops captured Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City).
According to officeholidays.com, this brought the Vietnam war to an end and began the process of unification of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North) in the North and the Republic of Vietnam (South).
A North Vietnamese tank rolls through the gate of the Presidential Palace in Saigon, on April 30, 1975.PHOTO: ASSOCIATED PRESS
Unification of the two countries finally happened on 2 July 1976, when the Socialist Republic of Vietnam was born.
If 30 April falls on a weekend, a public holiday will be observed on the following weekday.
How is Reunification Day celebrated?
Even without its patriotic significance, this is a popular holiday as it is the day before Labour Day meaning it is the start of a welcome two day holiday.
Because of this extended break, many people take the time to return to their families. Banks and government offices will close, but most shops remain open. Tourist sites may be busier than usual, with the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum in Hanoi being the top place to visit.
The day itself is marked by parades in Ho Chi Minh City and the flag of Vietnam will be flown proudly across the country.