AKIPRESS.COM - Vietnam is commemorating the 40th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War with a military parade through the streets of Ho Chi Minh City.

On 30 April 1975 the city - which was then called Saigon and was the capital of South Vietnam - was captured by communist troops from the North.

The North's victory ended the war in which at least three million Vietnamese died, as well as 58,000 US soldiers.

The re-unification process was completed the next year.

Regiments of soldiers in dress uniform and elaborate floats are slowly making their way through city streets.