President Trump is more popular in Vietnam than in most other countries in the world, with an approval rating close to 60 percent, according to a Pew poll. America also rates higher here than just about anywhere else on the planet.

People lined the streets, waved red flags, and generally, greeted the U.S. President here like a king during his two-day visit, the penultimate stop on his Asia tour.

As an American visiting Vietnam, you wonder what lies behind the smiles that greet you, the politeness and the calm. After all, a few million died here during the Vietnam War, which wasn’t all that long ago.

Vietnam expert Michael DeGregorio, the Asia Foundation’s representative in Hanoi, said the country likes to look ahead rather than dwell on the past.