I'd say this is the wrong reaction. Vietnam is great. The people are incredibly friendly (even to an American who assumed I would be shunned). The culture is ancient, proud and endlessly intricate. It's an amazing place to visit and learn about. They were wildly mistreated by the French and Americans, and still have a confidence and pride that is lacking in most of the 30-odd countries I've visited in the world. Dealing with oppressive governments as a visitor is the rule around the world, not the exception. Not that I'd support stepping foot in or giving a cent to some of the worst (like Burma or Russia). But it would be wrong to say you'd never visit; especially a place like Vietnam which is worthy of a lot of latitude and respect for what they've built out of the ashes of nearly 100 years of anti-colonial warfare.