Welcome to the 60’s!

As the classic Hairspray song goes, it could easily be the anthem for Saigon, what with its prominent buildings designed during that era. However the 60’s for here wasn’t the song and dance as the Film portrays. This was arguably the darkest period for Vietnam. Sober tones, it’s true, but that is the topic of war, and one can’t pass through Vietnam without coming face to face with the result of the conflict that has scarred this country for generations since. The world knows it as the Vietnam War. The Vietnamese call it the American war. Some locals refer to it as the Civil War. All together these names summarise what it was. I’m not going to go into the politics of it all, my only knowledge comes from what I have read and seen from my travels, but that was enough for me to see that what took place was wrong. 

For those who were in my position before coming here, here’s a brief overview; Vietnam was under French rule then the Vietnamese revolted (led by Ho Chi Minh) and got the French kicked out, America then came along and tried to knock out the communist regime in the north and failed so decided to Agent Orange and bomb the whole Country (and neighbours Cambodia and Laos for good measure). Agent Orange? It’s essentially a carcinogenic liquid that the American government had developed for chemical warfare and thought it a good idea to use in Vietnam. It is one of the dirtiest weapons conceivable. By spraying it on the crops, people then digest it causing illness. But it doesn’t stop there, exposure can cause mutations in the germ cells (the cells that are inherited from one generation to the next) thus children are born with physical and mental defects from retardation to severe limb deformity. To know that even Vietnamese born today are affected with deformities (3^rd generation since the War), it’s easy to see that this is Vietnam’s Hiroshima.

Saigon (since renamed Ho Chi Minh City, since the guy is a national hero for getting rid of the French and resisting the Americans) was a hub of activity during the 60’s as a base for the American’s and much is still preserved to show what went on. Take the Presedential Palace, built during this time for the South Vietnamese ruler, it’s era is soaked into every inch of its concrete edifice from the quirky exterior, the interior plan, the dance hall, cinema and the helipad on the roof, not forgetting the bunker in the basement. In the front garden they even left the tanks that stormed the place at the end of the war.

From the confines of the palace to the battle-front an hour’s drive out of town, the Cui Chi tunnels are also preserved, for people to observe how the Viet Cong (resistance army to the American and South Vietnamese soldiers) lived and operated. The famous underground network that these people developed spanning much of Vietnam to mobilise resources and soldiers from the north is more than just man—made tunnels but also where the Viet Cong slept, ate, gave birth and were entertained… essentially lived. Due to their slight frame (from malnutrition), the tunnels were way too small for the American soldiers and those who tried ended up falling into specially designed traps. When we were given a tour, we got to see props of different traps and parts of the tunnel (widened for tourists – they were still a tight fit, not for the claustrophobic). However we were warned from wondering off by ourselves as the place had not been fully de-mined!

A visit to the war remnants museum including pictures and words from victims and survivors, politicians and protestors, summarised what the war meant to everyone involved. Field journalism was beginning to take off at this point, so graphic images of the warzone, combat, injured and those not so lucky were shown alongside pictures and artefacts from world-wide protests against the American governments’ involvement as well as stories of lives still affected by Agent Orange. It did get to a point where I had to stop myself looking at these pictures, so horrifying they were, but that was the reality of what the war was to those involved. For me what summed it up was a glass display box presented to the museum from an American soldier, containing his Vietnam War medals and words of apology for his involvement.

'I was wrong. I am sorry'

This was only a part of our visit, modern HCMC is a bustling hive of motorbikes and cars and seems to be the most westernised city of Vietnam very involved in overseas trade. The nearby Mekong River offers an attractive tour of the islands, navigated by an assortment of vehicles, from canoes to motor powered swaying dragon boats. The Central market is busy and bustling (and touristy, so the prices are jacked-up a little) and the food is just as delectable as the rest of the country. For a visit, well worth it to experience all sides of what makes Vietnam today.

River scene 

To get a grasp of what happened here, read The Vietnamese War – a people’s perspective.