> Self rule, just like you'd think.

Is Vietnam in any way "more independent" today than if the north had lost? It makes sense if you claim to fight the Americans because they're evil capitalists but Vietnam turned around to adopt chinese-style reforms and is now mostly friendly towards the US.

> The CCP's primary claim to legitimacy is that they kicked out the Japanese.

The CCP is in power because they defeated the KMT, but decades later they adopted capitalism and today justify their rule through nationalism.

What's the point of a civil war if you eventually end up adopting most of the other side's policies?