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In the mid 19th century, the French with the aid of the Spanish invaded this
port city and destroyed the fort. This event was the precursor to the long
struggle between the people of Vietnam and France leading to the historical
defeat of the French in 1954. In the years after the defeat of the French, Vietnam
was divided into two separate countries and Saigon became the hub of resettlement
for many as people from north and central Vietnam immigrated south.
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In the 60's and 70's, Saigon was bustling
with commerce and business. It was the cultural center and the capital city of
South Vietnam. Already heavily influenced by the French in terms of culture and
style, the city had an air of a French provincial town with a Vietnamese twist.
Saigon was dubbed the "Pearl of the Orient" by the foreign press. The city was
alive with activities and cultural diversity that rivaled any Asian city at the
time.
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After the fall of South Vietnam to communism in 1975, the city and many of its
inhabitants were in a state of chaos and turmoil. In 1976, the new government
renamed the city Ho Chi Minh City and shut its door to the rest of the world.
Although recognized world wide as Ho Chi Minh City, to the people of Vietnam, the city is still
lovingly referred to as Saigon.
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