On the afternoon of November 11, I happened to attend a ceremony where hundreds from across the United States gathered at “The Wall,” the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, as a profound message of healing.   

Veterans Day was first observed in 1919, following the end of World War I, under the name Armistice Day. In 1954, the US government renamed it Veterans Day to honor all who have served in the armed forces, whether in times of war or peace. While Memorial Day in May is reserved for those who fell in service, Veterans Day is dedicated to those who came home, men and women who carry both victory and scars within them.

That afternoon, amid swirling golden leaves and temperatures dropping below -4°C, American flags fluttered in the sharp wind. Elderly veterans with silver hair stood tall, their chests adorned with medals from decades past. They smiled gently as children called out, “Thank you for your service.”

50 years ago, when many of these soldiers returned from Vietnam, they were met not with gratitude but rejection. Today, they are greeted with applause. Yet behind the applause, the shadows of war remain.

Some wept quietly before the black granite wall; others traced the engraved names of their fallen comrades onto slips of paper to take home. Among the visitors were young people carrying relics and stories of their fathers and grandfathers, symbols of both pain and an enduring hope for peace.

A recent Emerson College Poll (April 2025) found that 62% of Americans now believe “the US should not have gone to war in Vietnam.” Half a century later, the Vietnam War remains one of America’s most painful reckonings. Many veterans still live in hardship; an estimated 30,000 are homeless, and a significant number once served in Vietnam.

Perhaps, as many have come to realize, a war does not end when the guns fall silent, it ends only when the last soldier finds peace within.

At the ceremony, Tom Burke, Navy veteran and representative of the Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA), delivered a poignant address: “It’s been 50 years. Our country has learned to deal with our war. But as we know, and as we have learned, war does not end on the battlefield. It really ends on the home front. The monuments that sit around us, the Wall, the Women’s Memorial, the plaques, will continue to tell our story long after we are gone. But that moment hasn’t come yet. And all veterans know, as I mentioned before, war does not end when you leave the battlefield, it follows the warrior home.”

Half a century later, Vietnam, once the war’s greatest victim, has transformed pain into strength. The nation has rebuilt, reconciled, and expanded its cooperation with former adversaries. In 2023, Vietnam and the US elevated their relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, becoming among each other’s top trading partners.

Today, as both nations work toward a fair and balanced trade agreement, the message of healing extends far beyond the memorial grounds. It is, in its truest sense, a shared testament to reconciliation, resilience, and peace.

The following are several images from the ceremony, taken by our correspondent, who is also a member of the Vietnam Veterans Association.