Dong Ha, Vietnam – March 17th – 18th, 2017

From Phong Nha we caught the local bus to the train station. Think full to the brim clown car… that’s what the small local bus was like. Every time we thought there was no possible way that another person could fit, somehow, they squeezed in, packing us in even more. Strangely, the girl crammed up against my seated knee kept reaching down and pinching me in the calf. The bus eventually cleared out (including my grabby friend) and we made it in time to board our punctual train to Dong Ha.

Ridiculously overcrowded bus including the head of my grabby friend in the NY hat. 

As far as towns go, there is literally nothing going on in Dong Ha itself. We only came as an overnight stay in order to see the demilitarized zone (DMZ) sites from the Vietnam War the following day. Dong Ha is located just south of the DMZ which separated North from South Vietnam prior to and during the Vietnam war. With limited hotel options, we made a last-minute booking from the train to stay with a family at their home. Although a taxi ride away from the train station, the welcoming family and $8 clean room was worth the drive outside of town compared to the expensive ($20 per night) shabby hotels near the station. Although the family did not speak English (with the exception of their young son who was learning), we communicated via pictures and our extremely limited Vietnamese skills to order some dinner which turned out to be pretty good – oily collard greens (ug…again), well-seasoned omelet, and rice.

The next morning, the guide we had arranged in advance, Mr. Hoa, picked us up at our guesthouse. He was a Vietnam war vet who had fought in the war for the South Vietnamese army (with the Americans). Our first stop on the tour was the largest National War Cemetery in Vietnam. There were thousands and thousands of graves, many of which were for unknown soldiers. The only soldiers buried at the cemetery were soldiers who had fought for North Vietnam. The bodies of the South Vietnamese soldiers that were killed in the war were returned to their family when they died and buried in the villages, while North Vietnamese soldiers were only recovered after the war when their remains were relocated to war cemeteries scattered throughout the country (over the following decades). The graves were small since only the bone remains were relocated. Interestingly, some unmarked graves had been claimed by family members who had hired fortunetellers to tell them where their loved one's bones were buried. The war cemetery turned out to be the first of many examples of war propaganda relating to the Vietnam war – or as they call it “The American war”. In the center of the cemetery, there was a story wall which surrounded massive sculptures that glorified the northern cause while showing the opposing side surrendering or dying. Also, every gravestone was inscribed with the words, “Liet Sy” meaning “Martyr Hero”.

North Vietnam war cemetery. The bottom-left and top-right graves are of unknown soldiers, but top-right grave was claimed by a fortuneteller. The ying yang vessel in the center photo is for burning fake money. It is believed that your ancestors need money to live in the afterlife. It only makes sense that burning fake money is a way to fund their afterlife activities. 

After the cemetery, we made our way to a museum with military weapons on display and then stopped at an old American air base hanger in the middle of a residential area. Without a very thorough guide, you would never know it was there. The hanger was partially destroyed (by US bombs after they were forced to retreat) and currently being used as warehouse storage. The last stop before lunch was the Mine Action Visitor Center which sought to educate visitors on the effects of unexploded ordinances throughout the country (very similar to the COPE center in Laos). Unlike Cambodia and Laos, most of the unexploded ordinances in Vietnam have been recovered (through a massive effort and lots of moola), but many innocent locals suffered loss of limbs and death due to accidents related to the hidden threats.

Old US hanger in Dong Ha and the UXO museum.

After lunch, we traveled north towards the DMZ. Along the way, Mr. Hoa explained the events which led to the separation of North and South Vietnam after they gained independence from France and the events which led to the Vietnam war. He did an incredible job of explaining the history from a neutral perspective as well as giving us insight as to what it was like for him and his family before, during, and after the war. He was, without a doubt, the best guide we had in Asia and never failed to answer our endless questions – even the uncomfortable ones. For example, after seeing yet another anti-American museum exhibit we asked why the war was called, “The American War” when it was really a civil war which America got involved in. He answered that almost all war history in Vietnam is plagued with propaganda. We were surprised to learn that regardless of the seemingly endless government “guidance”, Mr. Hoa and our previous guides, in general, approve of the Vietnamese government.

The last stop on the tour was the Vinh Moc tunnels where over 500 people lived during the war. We spent about an hour wandering through the three levels of interconnected tunnels (the deepest level is 30 meters underground!). In the dark, cramped underground city were living quarters for 60 families, weapon storage, food storage, kitchens, bathrooms, wells, ventilation shafts, meeting rooms, a maternity and emergency room, and bomb slides. It was incredible how small the living space was for so many people. A family literally had enough space to lay down in their hole branching off the main tunnel. It was hard to believe people actually lived about 5 years completely underground with 9,000 tons of bombs constantly exploding overhead.

The reconstructed bridge separating North and South Vietnam (top). On the north side, the arch and original building were reconstructed in glory. On the south side, only a monument was created showing a south Vietnam woman and child waiting longingly for their husband/father to return to free them from the terrors of democracy. The Vinh Moc tunnel (bottom). The living space (bottom-middle) has about a 7x5 ft footprint and is about 4-ft tall. It housed a family of four.   

Although obviously a somber topic, we had an incredible day touring the DMZ with Mr. Hoa. We learned much MUCH more than we expected and appreciated getting the perspective from a local who had actually been there. Although we clearly disagree with using propaganda to manipulate people, it was interesting to see the opposing side’s perspective on the war and we were left wondering how much propaganda is being used in the US to control society's opinions… unfortunately, it’s likely happening more than we realize. Fair to say that the US is more stealthy with their propaganda than the Vietnamese government.