Thursday, August 19, 2010

Vietnam...Grim memories of the past ! Inside War Museum.

At the ticket office of the War Museum complex, I asked the young man dressed in green fatigues similar to the NVA ( North Vietnamese Army during the war ) if I could use my camera to snap pictures. He replied to me in Mandarin as he could not speak a word of English that it was permitted. Inside and outside. So I began to click away.
All the photos are from my camera.
The complex is quite huge. Mounted on the outside grounds are captured tanks, AA guns, planes, field artillery, helicopters, etc...from the American forces who departed in chaos and panic back in April 1975.
This section below shows the imprisonment, torture and killing system before 1975, during the
Vietnam War.








[ One victim of the system ]

[The Guillotine - for beheading prisoners]

[After the head is severed from the body, the head drops]
[ onto the box placed below. ]

[ Actual "Tiger Cages"...can you imagine the prisoner confined within? ]
There is no room for a prisoner to sit, kneel or even squat.
So what sort of position can the victim assume?
Obviously lying supine or in a crouched position just like wounded and
frightened animals kept in cages, awaiting slaughter.

5 comments:

maree said...

Very informative Dick: D&D and I have vivid memories of Museum in Hanoi...it wasn't as bleak as this as it related to Communist times for the Vietnamese & how the regime effected peoples day to day life.
Hope to return there one day ...an amazing Country - in the meantime it's great to read your journal.
Love to you and Daisy
P.S. it's 1 degrees here! Big change from my 2nd home!!!

Anonymous said...

Uncle Dicko,

Is there a beautiful flower called "Vietnam Rose"?

Do you have a photo of it which you can post on your blog?

Unk Dicko said...

Hi Maree,
As they say 'from sun to none!'. I wouldn't mind sending you some of our tropical sun..it's getting too hot here on some days.
Yes, Vietnam despite the past ravages of war and its untold effects, has blossomed into an amazing[ Jordy's favourite adjective!] and attractive country.
And just like the beautiful Roses from Vietnam..it will continue to sparkle.

Unk Dicko said...

Hi Anon,
Yes, in Vietnam there are roses (flowers) generally referred to as " Vietnamese Roses". They are truly pretty and very colourful.
I'll include some pics in upcoming posts.
However, back in the era of the Vietnam War, the term " Vietnam Rose" had a somewhat different meaning to the mainly American GIs.
It specifically referred to a reddish wart or sore that appeared on the male organ of those who had unprotected sex with local prostitutes...hence in sentences like these:
" He came home with the " Vietnam Rose" ( Syphyllis).
" The soldier woke up in the morning and found a "Vietnam Rose" on the tip of his .......".
I am certain you are more interested in the garden variety! Will include some pics of these soon.

Anonymous said...

Dick,

"He came home with the 'Vietnam Rose'".

You hit the nail on the...'head' - very appropriate to your 'heading' - "Vietnam... Grim Memories of the Past".