HO CHI MINH By William J. Duiker; Hyperion: 700pp., $35. Missing from Duiker’s account, however, is a sense of place, starting with post-World War I Montmartre, where everyone was debating ...

The parade on April 30 showcased the different wings of the armed forces, party, and government of Vietnam; only the visage of Ho Chi Minh was ever-present among images of leaders.

A statue of Ho Chi Minh now stands nearby. Vu Thi Ninh Thuy, 42, gathered there after the parade to take pictures with a few friends. She said she had come out early that morning because the 50th ...