Demilitarized Zone (Vietnam)
Continuing south from Ninh Binh our next stop was the small city of Dong Ha. Dong Ha itself doesn’t really have much to offer other than an intersection for two major highways, an endless blasting of horns, and public loud speakers that begin their broadcast at 5:00am. It is, however, in very close proximity to the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). From 1954 to 1975 an area of 5km on either side of the Ben Hai River served as the DMZ. Ironically, it became one of the most militarized zones in the world where some of the heaviest fighting took place.
Our first stop in the DMZ was the Doc Mieu Base. It was a US Military base designed to prevent infiltration across the DMZ. Most of the base has been destroyed by scrap metal hunters but this bunker remains as a reminder of the events of this region. We were warned by our guide to strictly stick to the path as there are still live mortar rounds and mines lying hidden about the area, slightly below the surface. Since 1975, 5,000 people have been injured or killed around the DMZ due to leftover artillery from the war. Many of the shells in the ground will remain extremely dangerous for many more years.
The area around the base is littered with massive craters like the one Brady is standing in. A not so subtle reminder of the 15 million tonnes of bombs that were dropped on Vietnam during the American war. Many of the craters have been turned into watering holes by the locals or have been reclaimed by jungle growth making them look like gullies in the landscape.
This is a picture of one of the 5 sections of the Truong Son National Cemetery where tens of thousands of North Vietnamese soldiers are buried. The soldiers are buried in zones according to the province they came from. For all of these soldiers, this is a second burial. All of them were found in the jungle and countryside and transported here for a proper burial. All soldiers carry an identification card in their pockets. From this information the soldier’s tombstones were created. For those soldiers whose information was destroyed or not found, they were buried in a separate section of the cemetery marked out for this purpose.
This grave stone tells us this boy was born in 1959 and joined the military at the age of 9 in 1968. He died 3 years later in 1971. An all too common story. Amazingly enough, many of the North Vietnamese soldiers were very young and volunteered for the service due to their belief in the Communist ideology. Even women participated as soldiers. This was not so much the case with the South Vietnamese soldiers, who were much older and male. It was said to make for very difficult battles as the women and children often deceived the South Vietnamese soldiers and the Americans into thinking they were innocent women and children. It was these innocent women and children that were often spies helping the success of the North Vietnamese Army.
This bridge in the heart of the DMZ that separates North and South Vietnam. Apparently soldiers would taunt each other with large megaphones and on occasion this led to violence. This picture is taken from the South looking North. Many families were separated in South and North Vietnam. Before the border was drawn people were given 55 days to choose which side they wished to live on. Due to political uncertainty, many wives would stay behind with their children while their husbands went to the other side to check things out. The split of the country was only supposed to be temporary until the next election. However, when this failed to take place due to a military coup, the borders remained closed for many, many years. As such, many families were years in waiting to be reunited. Many never reuniting due to all the casualties during the war.
And here’s a look at one of the entrances to the tunnels of Vinh Moc. They were constructed by the North Vietnamese during the American war and stretch approximately 2.8 km over three levels. Due to all of the heavy fighting in the area, the local village took to the subterranean for protection. Our guide told us that the tunnels were capable of housing around 500 people. There were rudimentary sleeping quarters, hospital rooms, kitchens and bathrooms. Other such tunnels exist all over the countryside of Vietnam. These ones, however, are the most intact and never experienced the dreaded “drilling bombs” from the American Army.
A view down from the entrance to the tunnels.
Even a little short for young Rena. The Vietnamese are a vertically challenged people.
The south may have won if they had this soldier on their side.
Our first stop in the DMZ was the Doc Mieu Base. It was a US Military base designed to prevent infiltration across the DMZ. Most of the base has been destroyed by scrap metal hunters but this bunker remains as a reminder of the events of this region. We were warned by our guide to strictly stick to the path as there are still live mortar rounds and mines lying hidden about the area, slightly below the surface. Since 1975, 5,000 people have been injured or killed around the DMZ due to leftover artillery from the war. Many of the shells in the ground will remain extremely dangerous for many more years.
The area around the base is littered with massive craters like the one Brady is standing in. A not so subtle reminder of the 15 million tonnes of bombs that were dropped on Vietnam during the American war. Many of the craters have been turned into watering holes by the locals or have been reclaimed by jungle growth making them look like gullies in the landscape.
This is a picture of one of the 5 sections of the Truong Son National Cemetery where tens of thousands of North Vietnamese soldiers are buried. The soldiers are buried in zones according to the province they came from. For all of these soldiers, this is a second burial. All of them were found in the jungle and countryside and transported here for a proper burial. All soldiers carry an identification card in their pockets. From this information the soldier’s tombstones were created. For those soldiers whose information was destroyed or not found, they were buried in a separate section of the cemetery marked out for this purpose.
This grave stone tells us this boy was born in 1959 and joined the military at the age of 9 in 1968. He died 3 years later in 1971. An all too common story. Amazingly enough, many of the North Vietnamese soldiers were very young and volunteered for the service due to their belief in the Communist ideology. Even women participated as soldiers. This was not so much the case with the South Vietnamese soldiers, who were much older and male. It was said to make for very difficult battles as the women and children often deceived the South Vietnamese soldiers and the Americans into thinking they were innocent women and children. It was these innocent women and children that were often spies helping the success of the North Vietnamese Army.
This bridge in the heart of the DMZ that separates North and South Vietnam. Apparently soldiers would taunt each other with large megaphones and on occasion this led to violence. This picture is taken from the South looking North. Many families were separated in South and North Vietnam. Before the border was drawn people were given 55 days to choose which side they wished to live on. Due to political uncertainty, many wives would stay behind with their children while their husbands went to the other side to check things out. The split of the country was only supposed to be temporary until the next election. However, when this failed to take place due to a military coup, the borders remained closed for many, many years. As such, many families were years in waiting to be reunited. Many never reuniting due to all the casualties during the war.
And here’s a look at one of the entrances to the tunnels of Vinh Moc. They were constructed by the North Vietnamese during the American war and stretch approximately 2.8 km over three levels. Due to all of the heavy fighting in the area, the local village took to the subterranean for protection. Our guide told us that the tunnels were capable of housing around 500 people. There were rudimentary sleeping quarters, hospital rooms, kitchens and bathrooms. Other such tunnels exist all over the countryside of Vietnam. These ones, however, are the most intact and never experienced the dreaded “drilling bombs” from the American Army.
A view down from the entrance to the tunnels.
Even a little short for young Rena. The Vietnamese are a vertically challenged people.
The south may have won if they had this soldier on their side.
posted by The Adventures of Rena & Wade | 11:18 PM
1 Comments:
Wade continues to be all class all the time. Too bad we cannot "edit" Shari & Eamon's posts!
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