Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam October 13-14, 2012

VIETNAM

Flying into Vietnam. 

Ho Chi Minh City was called Saigon before the American Armed Forces pulled out in 1974.  Those of us that were around during the seventies remember the journalist photos of the North Vietnamese tanks knocking down the gates of what is now called the reunification palace in Saigon.  

Reunification Palace

 There are 7,000,000 residents in Ho Chi Minh City and we think they are all riding motorcycles today.  These motorcycles flow like a river on the streets.  They fill up around the cars and block the cars from moving.

Motorbikes are EVERYWHERE.

We are staying one night at the Park Hyatt Hotel.  We lounged by the pool on the afternoon of our arrival.

Rain periodically

Our Room walked out to the pool

Inside our room.

Notice Scott's new do.  Yes, we shaved his head when after doing one stripe using clippers for a haircut, the clippers blew up and he had a reverse mohawk.  Needless to say, it was time for a change.

Barb has a shaved coconut filled with Coconut Juice.

We had mixed emotions about visiting Vietnam.  The Vietnam War and all the domestic protest and trauma that accompanied that war was displayed on the network nightly news reports as we were growing up.  We did not want anything to do with Vietnam when we were in junior high and high school.  Just as we graduated from high school all college deferments were revoked and a lottery was put in place to determine who would be required to join the military and most likely be sent to Vietnam to fight in a very unpopular war.  All 365 days of the year were put in a hat.  Each date was pulled out one at a time.  If you were born on the 1^st date that was pulled out then you were drafted into the armed forces immediately.  Scott’s birthday was the 333^rd birth date pulled out of the hat.  That year they only drafted up to 94 birth dates so he did not have to serve in the military and avoided Vietnam.  The number 333 has been our lucky number ever since. 

We went to the War Museum.  They recently changed the name.  It was called the Chinese and American War Crimes Museum before the name change.

The War Museum.

 On display outside the museum are U.S. helicopters, tanks, guns, and aircraft captured or recovered from the U.S. military after the war ended.  Inside there are newspaper clippings and photos documenting the war and conflict that engulfed Vietnam especially during the U.S. involvement.  There are very graphic photos depicting atrocities committed by the U.S. military.  This is a one sided account of the war from the point of view of victorious North Vietnamese.  

Aircraft

Helicopters

Machine gun in window.

It made us reflect upon all of the loss of life and suffering caused by actions and wrongdoing by all powers involved.  

Some of the weapons

More Weapons

The use of herbicides and defoliants by the U.S. was prominently shown in the Museum with photos and documentation of the lasting effects on the environment and the humans who were sprayed.

The spraying of defoliants

Gas masks worn by the US

 The battle conditions must have been nearly unbearable for all those involved.  The monsoons, heat and humidity must have been very difficult.  We have great respect for those who answered the call to serve in our military in Vietnam.  They are heroes.  They deserve all the honor and respect that we can give to them.  They did what they were asked to do and served with honor.  We believe that our political leaders betrayed us.  Our secret service agencies began interfering in Vietnam just as the French government began withdrawing from Vietnam during the 1950s after 70 years of unhappy French occupation. 

The Museum had many photos and articles about the war.

The French built this small replica of the Notre Dame.

Replica of Notre Dam

Barb in front of the Replica of Notre Dam

Inside the Church

Barb at church.

The French also built this train station that has now been converted to a post office.

Train station built by the French.  Now it is a Post Office.

Inside the Train Station/Post Office

 Kennedy, Johnson and Nixon all made bad decisions.  Cambodians and Laotians all remember that the U.S. bombed across the borders in order to stop supply lines from reaching the North Vietnamese fighters.  These cross border bombings were initially not divulged to the American people.  As we became friendly with Cambodians and Laotians they will talk about this history.  They hold no malice.  They are warm and friendly people who are happy to be conflict free and they are eager to participate in the world economy.