Marking 50 Years of Peace in Vietnam
Allison's Flowers Acknowledge the End of the American War
In April 2025, a handcrafted, travel-ready peace bouquet named “Flowers” was carried from the Allison Center for Peace, making its thousands of miles journey from Mendocino to Vietnam. This travelog follows Flowers honoring South and North Vietnam’s re-unification 50 years ago, marking the end to the American war in Vietnam, and then on to memorialize the 55th anniversary of the Kent State and Jackson State massacres.
Arriving in Vietnam: After traveling hours in extended flights to Southeast Asia, Flowers calls it an early night and hits the hay to acclimate to the new time zone.
Waking Up Refreshed: Flowers joins the People of Vietnam packing the streets of Ho Chi Minh City AKA Saigon and meets an animated veteran celebrating Independence Day.
About Flowers: Celebrants are curious about Flowers representing the U.S. antiwar student protester Allison Krause. On May 3, 1970, Allison said, “What’s the matter with peace? Flowers are better than bullets” just a day before her protest against the Vietnam war, Cambodian invasion and her killing in the May 4, 1970 Kent State massacre.
The War Remnants Museum: With her companion, Flowers visits the War Remnants Museum in HCMC/Saigon taking a moment to pause at John Filo’s Pulitzer-prize winning Kent State massacre photo at the museum.
Tanks Galore: Flowers makes her way to the Reunification Palace in Ho Chi Minh City, the center for all 50th festivities where the famous tanks that brought an end to the American war in Vietnam are outside on full display. These tanks draw reverent attention from all honoring the 50th anniversary of the beginning of peace in Vietnam.
About these tanks: “A silent yet powerful testament to Vietnam's historic Ho Chi Minh Campaign, the T-54B tank bearing the serial number 843 stands proudly within the Vietnam Military History Museum. This remarkable artifact etched its place in history on April 30, 1975, as it played a pivotal role in the final moments leading to the reunification of Vietnam.
On that decisive morning, at precisely 5:30 AM, the People's Army of Vietnam launched a coordinated five-pronged offensive into the heart of Saigon. Among the advancing units was the T-54B tank 843, belonging to the 4th Company of the 1st Battalion, 203rd Armored Brigade, under the 2nd Corps. The tank was commanded by Company Commander Bui Quang Than, with a crew comprising Thai Ba Minh (gunner No. 1), Nguyen Van Ky (gunner No. 2), and Lu Van Hoa (driver).
Close behind was the T-59 tank, serial number 390, led by Political Commissar Vu Dang Toan. Its crew included Ngo Si Nguyen (gunner No. 1), Le Van Phuong (Deputy Technical Company Commander, who stepped in for the injured gunner No. 2 Do Cao Truong), and Nguyen Van Tap (driver).
Please stay tuned as Flowers and her companion continue their journey in Southeast Asia.