50 years ago the fall of Saigon meant the end of the Vietnam war. Currently there is an exhibit at the Landmark Center in St. Paul about Vietnamese-Americans who escaped to Minnesota.
Two of them are Tri Tang and his wife Cindy Nguyen from Blaine. For Tang, reflecting on the fall of Saigon and the end of the Vietnam conflict, is deeply personal.
“I was born in Vietnam one year before the end of the war…” Tang said. “I came to the United States when I was 20 years old in 1994.”
Tang is one of the most prominent Vietnamese voices in Minnesota. He is president of the Vietnamese community in the state.
But long before Tang came to the US and settled in Blaine, his family had to overcome the ordeal of fleeing Vietnam. The Landmark Center exhibit focuses on the people who gambled everything to come to the United States.
“If you come to the exhibit you will see the history of the Vietnam war,” Tang said. “When does it start? When does it end?”
“Freedom is not free”
Not everyone made it safely to the US, including some of Tang’s relatives. There was a tragic toll as many people were lost at sea.
“A lot of people don’t understand what is the boat people,” Tang said. “After ’75 about 1.2 million people escaped from Vietnam. Most of them escaped by boat. About 200,00 to 500,000 people die on the sea to get here.”
The fortunate ones who made it the states were hoping for a new beginning after experiencing trama and turmoil in Vietnam.
“We came here for freedom,” Tang said. “But it’s not free.”
These days, Tang runs a successful business in the Twin Cities.
“I’ve been doing insurance for about 20 years now with Farmers Insurance,” Tang said. “I love it.”
Meanwhile his spouse Nguyen owns a nail salon in Lino Lakes.
“It’s been wonderful,” Nguyen said. “My business has been open. Fairly new. It’s been three years.”
The couple is the quintessential immigrant success story – overcoming long odds to achieve the American dream.
“I came to the states when I was five years old,” Nguyen said. “I was part of the boat people that escaped the country shortly after Saigon fell.”
“The United States is the best country,” Tang said. “When the Vietnamese come here we work really hard and contribute our share to the United States. This is our home now. This is our country now.”
“We contribute not only to the economy of Minnesota but also to the country as well…” Nguyen said. “I love America. This is my country. This is my land. My home.”
Catastrophic consequences
The Vietnam war was grueling and devastating.
“It was very ugly,” Tang said.
There were catastrophic consequences for millions.
“It start in November 1955,” Tang said. “It end April 30th 1975, so about 20 years. The people die was about 1.5 million to 3.5 million people. For the American soldier it’s about 58,220.”
Ngueyn and Tang are grateful to the US troops who were in the trenches trying to preserve freedom.
“We really appreciate what they did for our country,” Tang said. “We fight for the freedom and they came to help us.”
“I’m very grateful to the US military that went over there to fight the war alongside with us,” Nguyen said. “It’s just unfortunate that it didn’t turn out the way that we wanted.”
Now, five decades after Saigon fell, there are plenty of Vietnamese-American residents in the North Metro who are thriving.
“In Blaine right now I can tell you we have nail salons, restaurants, auto repair, manufacturer, accounting office, insurance office,” Tang said. “We have (businesses) everywhere. We work hard.”
According to Tang, there are between 34 and 35,000 Vietnamese residents in Minnesota.
