Hanoi Museum revisits the long road to peace in Paris

By Hoang Thanh, Ngoc Dinh   July 18, 2018 | 04:00 am PT
Vietnam's effective combination of military operations and international diplomacy is being showcased at an exhibition at the Hanoi Museum. 
The military trucks of Vietnamese soldiers transported goods to the frontline everyday in June 1967. Fighting on both military and political fronts in the South was the key factors in winning the war, creating the basis for Vietnams victory on the diplomatic front. Photo courtesy of Vietnam National Museum of History.

A picture of military trucks transporting soldiers and goods to the frontline, taken in June 1967, is seen at the "Paris Peace Talks - The way to Peace" at Hanoi Museum. Fighting on both military and political fronts was a key factor in winning the American War. Photo courtesy of Vietnam National Museum of History

First Secretary of the central executive committee of the Communist Party - Le Duan (middle) met the delegation of the National Front for the Liberation of Southern Vietnam before they went to France. The picture was taken in October 1968. Photo courtesy of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam.

General Secretary of the Communist Party Le Duan (C) meets the delegation from the National Front for the Liberation of Southern Vietnam before they leave for France. The picture was taken in October 1968. Photo courtesy of Vietnam's Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Xuan Thuy - Head of the delegation from Democratic Republic of Vietnam arrived at Le Bourget Airport  (France) on May 9, 1968. Photo courtesy of Vietnam National Museum of History.

From left: Former U.S. diplomat Henry Kissinger, Vietnamese diplomat Le Duc Tho and Xuan Thuy, former foreign minister of North Vietnam arrive at Le Bourget Airport (France) on May 9, 1968 for the Paris peace talk. Tho and Kissinger were key negotiators at the Paris peace talk. Photo courtesy of Vietnam National Museum of History

The delegation from Democratic Republic of Vietnam attended the inaugural meeting with representatives of the United States Government at Paris Conference on May 13, 1968 at International Conference Center (Paris, France). Photo courtesy of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam.

Xuan Thuy (C), head of the delegation from Democratic Republic of Vietnam, and other Vietnamese delegates attend the inaugural meeting of the Paris Conference with representatives of the United States Government on May 13, 1968 at the International Conference Center in Paris. Photo courtesy of Vietnam's Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Nguyen Thi Binh, Delegation Head from the National Liberation Front of Southern Vietnam, gave a speech at a Vietnameses welcoming meeting in Paris in December 1968. Photo courtesy of Vietnam National Museum of History.The delegation of the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam held a meeting at their headquarters in Verrières-le-Buisson (France) in December 1968. Photo courtesy of Vietnam National Museum of History.

Nguyen Thi Binh, a top Vietnamese politician and Delegation Head from the National Liberation Front in southern Vietnam, is applauded as she speaks at a meeting in Paris in December 1968. Photo courtesy of Vietnam National Museum of History

Special advisor Le Duc Tho and Henry A. Kissinger exchanged pens after initial signing of Paris Peace Accords, January 23, 1973. Photo courtesy by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam.

Special advisors Le Duc Tho and Henry A. Kissinger, main negotiators of the agreement,exchange pens after the initial signing of Paris Peace Accords, January 23, 1973. Tho went on to become the only person to voluntarily reject a Nobel Peace Prize. Photo courtesy by Vietnam's Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Delegates of Democratic Republic of Vietnam and National Liberation Front of South Vietnam were discussing at the four-party conference on Vietnam in Paris. Photo courtesy of Vietnam National Museum of History.

Delegates of Democratic Republic of Vietnam and National Liberation Front in southern Vietnam at the four-party conference on Vietnam in Paris. Photo courtesy of Vietnam National Museum of History

The U.S President Richard M. Nixon declared preliminary approval of the Agreement on Ending the War and Restoring  Peace in Vietnam in January 23, 1973. Photo courtesy of National Archives of the United States.

U.S. President Richard M. Nixon declares preliminary approval of the Agreement on Ending the War and Restoring Peace in Vietnam on January 23, 1973. Photo courtesy of National Archives of the United States

The signing ceremony of the Paris Agreement on Vietnam at the International Conference Center on Kleber Avenue (January 27, 1973). Photo courtesy of Vietnam National Museum of History.

The signing ceremony of the Paris Agreement on Vietnam at the International Conference Center on Kleber Avenue on January 27, 1973. Photo courtesy of Vietnam National Museum of History

Delegation of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam at the signing ceremony of the Paris Agreement (January 27, 1973). Photo courtesy of Archive Department - Central Office of Communist Party.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Duy Trinh signs the Paris Peace Accord in the presence of other delegates of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam on January 27, 1973. Photo courtesy of the Archives Department of Vietnam's Communist Party

Exhibited pieces including official passports, the signing pen of the Paris Agreement in 1973, delegates badge from Government of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam and seals are on display.

Official passports, the pens used to sign  the Paris Agreement in 1973, delegates' badges from Government of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam and seals are among the artifacts on display.

In 1973, the end of the Vietnam War was in sight. At the Paris Conference, representatives of Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam), the Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Vietnam, Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam) and the United States signed a ceasefire and peace agreement.

The Agreement on Ending the war and Restoring peace in Vietnam was signed on January 27, 1973. With negotiations beginning on May 13, 1968, it took 202 public and 45 private meetings between Vietnam and the U.S. over four years, eight eight months and 14 days to reach the agreement.

The ongoing exhibition, open until July 20, is part of a cooperation plan between the Archives departments of the United States and Vietnam to commemorate the 45th anniversary of the Paris Peace Accords in 1973 and 23 years of normalization of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 1995.

 
 
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