War is obviously an ugly thing.
In classrooms we learn war's ugly face and traces from our history teachers and from our television sets. When the library was still the in-thing, plenty history books were there to give us records of the glory and sacrifices of young soldiers through text and images. For new generations, war has been introduced to them via movies like Saving Private Ryan, via Xbox and PS4 games, and the internet. YouTube has tons of documentaries and Google is treasure trove for war articles.
Meanwhile, if you are a tourist going to Vietnam, expect that a part of your itinerary will surely include war.
The famous photo of the Napalm Girl (real name: Phan Thi Kim) who was depicted in this Pulitzer Price winning photograph shot by AP photographer Nick Ut. Phan thi Kim now lives in Canada..
The War Remnants Museum is located Vo Van Tan, in District 3, just near the city park. It is usually a walking distance from hotels and the market. The vicinity not only it houses vintage aircrafts and military machines such as tanks made by the US Army but also some exhibitions of weapons of mass destructions such the chemical warfare Agent Orange.
Suggested Hotels near War Remnants Museum:
Via Bookings.com
1. Sonnet Saigon Hotel
2. Cititel Central Saigon Hotel Set on a bustling downtown block a 6-minute walk from the covered Bến Thành Market, this casual hotel is an 8-minute walk from Gia Long Palace and 7 km from Tan Son Nhat International Airport.
3. GK Central Hotel In a modern building on a tree-lined commercial street, this relaxed hotel is a 3-minute walk from Bến Thành Market, an 11-minute walk from Saigon Notre-Dame Basilica and a 12-minute walk from the War Remnants Museum.
Via Agoda.com
1. Sonnet Saigon Hotel
2. Cititel Central Saigon Hotel
3. GK Central Hotel
Creative communist propaganda posters of yesteryears and publications with Anti-American sentiments are hanged in walls even thought lots of American tourists visit the area. Graphic photos of the victims of Napalm, Agent Orange and phosphorus bombs are enlarge and lighted. I've seen tourists Americans shed tears as they pondered on how their country's participation in the war affected many innocent civilians and even soldiers who were just following orders to stop foreign hands in controlling their country. I shed tears too when I saw the after effects of Agent Orange to the alive yet mutilated offsprings of those parents who were to exposed Agent Orange. US Veterans who were used and were exposed to it were also affected. Some got leukemia or some kind of cancer in later life. I learned that the spraying of Agent Orange over agricultural land also affected the environment. It is damaging to genes that's why victims have deformed children.
In classrooms we learn war's ugly face and traces from our history teachers and from our television sets. When the library was still the in-thing, plenty history books were there to give us records of the glory and sacrifices of young soldiers through text and images. For new generations, war has been introduced to them via movies like Saving Private Ryan, via Xbox and PS4 games, and the internet. YouTube has tons of documentaries and Google is treasure trove for war articles.
Meanwhile, if you are a tourist going to Vietnam, expect that a part of your itinerary will surely include war.
These metal beasts were once killing machines
Indeed, the Vietnam government included war as a part of its tourist attractions or destination probably not to just earn money from it but to primarily educate people coming in the ugly truths of war despite they won against the Americans.
Somewhere in the jungles of South Vietnam, you'll find foreigners exploring the man made caves and tunnels used by Viet Congs during the Vietnam War. These caves changed the waves of the war against their enemies as the deep tunnels were to deep that bombs were not effective to destroy them. And how will you know this fact? Most information about the war is available when you go to Ho Chi Minh city (formerly called Sai Gon) where you'll find the War Remnants Museum (See Map Below)
Somewhere in the jungles of South Vietnam, you'll find foreigners exploring the man made caves and tunnels used by Viet Congs during the Vietnam War. These caves changed the waves of the war against their enemies as the deep tunnels were to deep that bombs were not effective to destroy them. And how will you know this fact? Most information about the war is available when you go to Ho Chi Minh city (formerly called Sai Gon) where you'll find the War Remnants Museum (See Map Below)
Map of the War Remnants Museum
Actual gas masks used to avoid inhaling chemicals such as Agent Orange
The famous photo of the Napalm Girl (real name: Phan Thi Kim) who was depicted in this Pulitzer Price winning photograph shot by AP photographer Nick Ut. Phan thi Kim now lives in Canada..
The War Remnants Museum is located Vo Van Tan, in District 3, just near the city park. It is usually a walking distance from hotels and the market. The vicinity not only it houses vintage aircrafts and military machines such as tanks made by the US Army but also some exhibitions of weapons of mass destructions such the chemical warfare Agent Orange.
The place has themed rooms where you can see a place dedicated to the personnel who are still Missing-In-Action (MIA) to this day.
Propaganda posters at the Vietnam War Remnants in former Sai Gon
(Ho Chi Minh City)
Suggested Hotels near War Remnants Museum:
Via Bookings.com
1. Sonnet Saigon Hotel
2. Cititel Central Saigon Hotel Set on a bustling downtown block a 6-minute walk from the covered Bến Thành Market, this casual hotel is an 8-minute walk from Gia Long Palace and 7 km from Tan Son Nhat International Airport.
3. GK Central Hotel In a modern building on a tree-lined commercial street, this relaxed hotel is a 3-minute walk from Bến Thành Market, an 11-minute walk from Saigon Notre-Dame Basilica and a 12-minute walk from the War Remnants Museum.
Via Agoda.com
1. Sonnet Saigon Hotel
2. Cititel Central Saigon Hotel
3. GK Central Hotel
Creative communist propaganda posters of yesteryears and publications with Anti-American sentiments are hanged in walls even thought lots of American tourists visit the area. Graphic photos of the victims of Napalm, Agent Orange and phosphorus bombs are enlarge and lighted. I've seen tourists Americans shed tears as they pondered on how their country's participation in the war affected many innocent civilians and even soldiers who were just following orders to stop foreign hands in controlling their country. I shed tears too when I saw the after effects of Agent Orange to the alive yet mutilated offsprings of those parents who were to exposed Agent Orange. US Veterans who were used and were exposed to it were also affected. Some got leukemia or some kind of cancer in later life. I learned that the spraying of Agent Orange over agricultural land also affected the environment. It is damaging to genes that's why victims have deformed children.
Before and after photo images of destructions and post-war rehabilitations
If you are a photography buff, you can relate to a room where the main stuff being told is about the usefulness of photography in documenting the war. You can see popular photographs printed in Life magazines. The area even has a place for actual photography gears used during the war. Some donated vintage cameras by surviving photojournalists were there to highlight the importance and role of photography in telling the different sides of war.
A film camera hit by a bullet
My modern Nikon meets its older brother
Photos of deceased or MIA photojournalists
Photos of the wounded and the dead G.I.s
As you move from corner to corner, you will finally feel a somber mood when you see an area where photos of the dead and Missing-In-Action Vietnam War photojournalists abound. There stares are not enough to tell the untold stories of how these young men braved their way in capturing the war in the name of photojournalism.
Long range canons made in USA
A tourist checks out a Huey helicopter
By just moving around, the remnants at the vicinity indirectly gives you war lessons of the infamous proxy war between superpowers. Unexploded bombs (without fuses) are displayed in the area. Real fatigue uniforms, shoes, grenades, bullets, mines, gas masks, clothes of the soldiers and powerful weapons are spread out in every floor level and corner inside glass containers
Going back outside, you will feel again the magnitude of the War Remnants Museum as vintage canons, plane and helicopters and tanks seems to be on place, as if guarding the vicinity. And hopefully, what you've seen and learned there, you will also share to others via an awareness like in a blog that we should not keep history repeat itself.
Going back outside, you will feel again the magnitude of the War Remnants Museum as vintage canons, plane and helicopters and tanks seems to be on place, as if guarding the vicinity. And hopefully, what you've seen and learned there, you will also share to others via an awareness like in a blog that we should not keep history repeat itself.
Tips:
1. You may see people without limbs in the area. Don't take photos of them without permission.
2. Foreigners don't mind being photographed but it's better to be discreet if you took a general photo with them as part of your subject.
3. Don't take selfies in sensitive areas like with photos of victims. Your selfie might go viral and you'll end up bashed by netizens.
4. Don't smile when getting your photos beside images of dead and Missing in Action people.
5. Don't touch exhibits that are not protected by glass cases.
6. Don't ride on vintage vehicles for a fun photography purpose.
7. There are graphic photography inside. Stay away if you have a weak heart and gets too emotional seeing victims of Agent Orange and more.
8. Observe silence.
9. Turn off flash when taking a subject with glass or if it is inside a glass container. Adjust your camera to bring more light to your sensors. Your shot will be better without the flash being reflected on glass.
1. You may see people without limbs in the area. Don't take photos of them without permission.
2. Foreigners don't mind being photographed but it's better to be discreet if you took a general photo with them as part of your subject.
3. Don't take selfies in sensitive areas like with photos of victims. Your selfie might go viral and you'll end up bashed by netizens.
4. Don't smile when getting your photos beside images of dead and Missing in Action people.
5. Don't touch exhibits that are not protected by glass cases.
6. Don't ride on vintage vehicles for a fun photography purpose.
7. There are graphic photography inside. Stay away if you have a weak heart and gets too emotional seeing victims of Agent Orange and more.
8. Observe silence.
9. Turn off flash when taking a subject with glass or if it is inside a glass container. Adjust your camera to bring more light to your sensors. Your shot will be better without the flash being reflected on glass.
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