Vietnam marked the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War on Tuesday with a large-scale military-civilian parade in Ho Chi Minh City, formerly known as Saigon, celebrating a historic moment that reshaped the nation.

Vietnam is celebrating the end of the Vietnam War on Wednesday with a grand military parade and an air show 50 years after the fall of Saigon, the event that marked the definitive conclusion of the decades-long conflict.

Vietnam celebrated the end of the war with the United States and the formation of its modern nation 50 years ago Wednesday with a military parade and a focus on a future of peace. Thousands camped overnight on the streets of Ho Chi Minh City — once known as Saigon — to watch the parade,