European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 25, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Vietnam nears final economic hurdle by Bruce Fienberg United press International a Quarter of a Century after a key turning Point in the Vietnam War a the 1968 tet offensive a Hanoi is looking for another landmark event that could change its destiny a lifting of the  economic embargo. Improving living standards resulting from the vietnamese government s economic reforms is fueling a wave of optimism As the country winds up another tet Celebration marking the lunar new year. No special celebrations marked the tet of 25 years ago which then came on Jan 31. During that time some 70,000 communist troops  new year truce to launch an offensive against . And Saigon forces throughout South Vietnam never before had the communists wrought so much chaos in the South where they attacked More than 100 cities and towns. The Viet Cong guerrillas no longer could be sneering by dismissed As illiterate peasant fighters. A Hough the communists took1. Massive casualties in. The tet offensive and eventually were pushed Back the blatant attack on Saigon and other key. Cities in the South marked a turning Point in the War. More importantly it resulted in heightened opposition to the War in the United states where until tet americans were being told the communists were in Retreat. Two months after the tet offensive president Johnson curbed the . Bombing of Hanoi and peace talks with Hanoi began in Paris in May. Today Hanoi and to Chi Minh City Gulf War medals Are on order q i m an army stall sergeant assigned to Headquarters Battery 6th in 1 St Field arty regt. Many of my soldiers including myself served with various units in saudi Arabia during the persian Gulf War. My Point is this after the Gulf War the Kuwait government created the Kuwait liberation medal with Palm and it was approved by the . Government. Our names rank social Security number and unit were submitted to higher Headquarters for action so these soldiers could be issued the medal itself. That was More than 1 vie years ago and we still Haven t heard a word. How can my soldiers obtain the information to be issued one of the medals because i a customer Haggle Over the Price of a television set in to Chi Minh City. Formerly Saigon Are crawling with businessmen from industrialized countries a including the United states a hoping to Clinch deals in anything from textiles to Oil exploration. Last month the United states government moved one step closer to lifting the 18-year-old embargo by allowing american firms to negotiate but not execute contracts with vietnamese counterparts. Hewlett Packard recently signed an agreement to sell computer hardware in to Chi Minh City while Chrysler corp., Citicorp and Bank of America Are just few of the major . Companies that have sent delegations to Hanoi. There Are rumours that some firms have begun hiring. Although the vietnamese Economy is booming and new contracts with foreign firms Are being signed daily the key to continued growth is the lifting of the embargo which would free up funds from International lending organizations to finance much needed infrastructure development. Qu0et Quot what will be the real turning Point for Vietnam will be the lifting of the embargo. With that past us we can borrow funds from the world Bank the if International monetary fund and the Asia development Bank to rebuild our infrastructure Quot said a vietnamese finance ministry official. Without the development of new roads rail and communications links As Well As shipping and aircraft facilities Vietnam will have difficulty putting its vast resources on International markets. Vietnamese officials who ask any american they encounter whether the embargo Ever will be lifted believe their government has done everything it can to resolve the matter of americans missing in the War the last sticking Point before Washington Hanoi relations can be sized. Us the War Long Over about the Only visible criticisms of the United states Are the Quot lift the embargo Quot to shirts sold along Side. To Chi Minh posters in vietnamese shops. Chi Minh City Norrs amps Susan Harris action line understand they must be signed for. Thank you for your assistance. Staff sgt. William a. Tanis Vilseck Germany maj. Vicki l Beard chief personnel actions division personnel services support directorate 1 St personnel come replies thank you for the Opportunity to respond to your question about the Kuwait liberation medal Kim. The department of the army released a message in january 1992 outlining the eligibility criteria for the Kim. Also included in the message was information on How to order the medal sets. Because of the limited Quantity of medal sets very strict guidelines were incorporated to control their distribution. Those guidelines included developing a list of eligible soldiers by unit verification of the lists by the servicing personnel officer and finally the consolidation of All the lists at the Usa eur major command separate major command level. These commands in turn Are responsible for ordering the Kim for All of their supported units. This process is very time consuming thus the Long delays. The command responsible for your unit is the 1 St army div and they have in fact ordered the Kim. Your Chain of command will be informed when the Kim shipment arrives. Readers action line which appears mondays and wednesdays strives to answer questions about life in a military environment. If you done to know where to turn for help write readers action line co the stars and stripes unit 29480, Apo a 09211. Ail letters must be signed. Please include address and phone  paddlers torn War relics into Cash by Grant Peck the associated press if visitors to old Saigon a now called to Chi Minh City a want to believe All pedicab Drivers used to be South vietnamese army rangers and All the Zippo lighters once belonged to american Cis that s Fine with their hosts. Today daily life in the capital of former South Vietnam which fell to the communist North in april 1975, is much like that in Bangkok or any other booming Southeast asian capital. But in the tourist districts where real and imagined War relics Are for Sale memories of the Long conflict live on. Vietnamese evince no nostalgia for the War that killed More than 1 i million of their countrymen but Are glad for the tourists and Cash that it lures. About 400,000 foreigners visited Vietnam in 1992, and a new hotel opens almost every  of Tydos from the French word for pedicab provide one introduction to the old Saigon. Americans who hire one hear How the Driver worked with the americans before 1975, Quot at Tan son Nhut air base Quot or Quot with the special. Forces in i corps Quot a maybe Quot with the 1 St Cav in  thinly veiled hostility and hard Luck stories suggest that Many feel abandoned by their onetime allies a. If you re not buying pity How about a lighter try the Zippo with this slogan Quot when i die i know i la go to heaven because i be spent my. Time in hell a Vietnam Danang 1970-71.&Quot it and ones with similar words More often than not unprintable sell for Between $5 and $15. The sentiments Are authentic go even if the lighters Are not. Many of the sales Are made on Dong Khoi Street which was a string of bars known As to do Street in the american Era. Quot americans like to buy old things from the . Army before 1975 daggers watches clocks Quot said Nguyen Huu Tien 34, who works at Kodak Catinat a store that Sells handicrafts and Antiques. Bulky clocks. A a a Hanoi Street serves As a shop. Scavenged from old . Aircraft and boats also Are popular he said because they Are made to exacting military standards. Most stalls at the Quot american Market Quot once a Center for lost stolen or strayed . Army equipment now Deal in consumer goods but a few still sell military gear with hard bargaining a vietnamese army pith helmet with red Star can be had for about $3. North vietnamese and Viet Cong medals and Campaign ribbons sometimes pulled from beneath the counter Cost $1 each. One stall owner said he goes to factories and buys medals from veterans. He said he has about 10 foreign customers a Day and earns $500 a month. A typical factory worker s pay equals $45 to $75. V 7 a another kind of Vietnam experience is available on Dong do Street just around the Corner from Dong Khoi where open front bars Cater to Western tourists. Marijuana smoke wafts through the air As stereo speakers blare songs by the doors Otis Robrt j"8 other 60s favourites Street children Art around Selling gum cigarettes and magazines the stars and stripes monday january 25, 191