A note on the U.S.-Vietnam nuclear energy agreement
March 31, 2010
Although mired in nuclear controversies with North Korea — about overt weapons development — and Iran –about suspected nuclear weapons development — the United States has reached an accord about the peaceful use of nuclear energy with its one-time foe, Vietnam. As recently announced, the former adversaries signed a Memorandum of Understanding that will guide Vietnam’s development of nuclear energy options in the future. (Read more about the agreement in the English language version of the Saigon website here.)
For many Americans, the word “Vietnam” still evokes memories of a divisive war in which more than 58,000 U.S. troops perished. That war ended two years after American troops were withdrawn under a peace accord with North Vietnam in 1973. Vietnam, which was split in two during the war years, was reunified into a single country in 1975. For many years following, the United States and Vietnam did not maintain any diplomatic relations. It was not until 15 years ago that full diplomatic ties were established.
Surely one of the more interesting and important aspects of any war’s history lies in the story of what follows it. Since the war, strains between the The U.S. and Vietnam persisted for a long time, and for some citizens the trauma will never fully heal. However, evidence that the two former enemies can now work together in a peaceful way provides something of a hopeful note.
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Image (above): E.P.A. photograph of Gamma radiation counters, 1972. Public domain photo in the collection of the National Archives.
