Happy Birthday to Panama!

Vietnamese women wearing traditional costume Áo dài. *Photo from Wikipedia September 2 is National Day, celebrates the independence of Vietnam from Japan and France in 1945. The Japanese occupied Vietnam during World War II but allowed the French to remain and exert some influence. At the war’s end in August 1945, a power vacuum was created in Vietnam. Capitalizing on this, the Việt Minh launched the “August Revolution” across the country to seize government offices. Emperor Bảo Đại abdicated on August 25, 1945, ending the Nguyễn Dynasty. On September 2, 1945, at Ba Đình Square, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh, leader

Croatia national football team came in second at the 2018 World Cup. *Photo from Wikipedia October 8 is Independence Day, celebrates the official separation of Croatia from Yugoslavia in 1991. The Croats (South Slavic ethnic group at the crossroads of Central Europe, Southeast Europe, and the Mediterranean Sea) arrived in the area of present-day Croatia during the early part of the 7th century AD. They organized the state into two duchies by the 9th century. Tomislav became the first king by 925, elevating Croatia to the status of a kingdom. The Kingdom of Croatia retained its sovereignty for nearly two

A couple dancing Panamanian Cumbia. *Photo from Wikipedia November 3 Independence Day / Separation Day, celebrates the separation and independence of Panama from Colombia in 1903. Panama was inhabited by several indigenous tribes prior to settlement by the Spanish in the 16th century. Panama broke away from Spain in 1821 and joined a union of Nueva Granada, Ecuador, and Venezuela named the Republic of Gran Colombia. When Gran Colombia dissolved in 1831, Panama and Nueva Granada remained joined, eventually becoming the Republic of Colombia. With the backing of the United States, Panama seceded from Colombia in 1903, allowing the Panama