Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) and Vinh Moc Tunnels

Although as I type this, Phillip and I are in Hanoi, I need to finish describing our adventures in Hue. During my last post, the humidity had gotten to me a bit. Phillip and I took it easy the next couple of days and we were both fine. One of the things we did during our easy days was cross the nearest bridge over the Perfume River and sit in the park.

on a park bench next to the Perfume River in Hue

     We actually went to the supermarket across the bridge for toothpaste, then saw the park and went walking along the river in the shade, taking our time, and just enjoying being in Vietnam. Did we get hot and sweaty anyway? Well, of course! Plenty of hydration and we were fine. The tree under which we were sitting for the above picture had these odd, fig-shaped fruits that kept falling on the grass and sidewalk as we rested there. I figure that whatever it was is not edible, as plenty of the over-ripe fruits covered the ground for unwary pedestrians to step and slip on. Yes, I stepped. No, I didn't slip, but I did slide a bit.

watch out for this falling fruit!

Friday evening, Linh, our guide who met us again for coffee Thursday morning, arranged for us to take a boat trip on the river with a friend of hers who operated one of the dragon boats. We are still amazed at how low the barges sit in the water.

barge on the river

     Yesterday, we had a full-day private tour with Hung (pronounced "Hoong") to the DMZ and Vinh Moc tunnels. Hung is the owner of a restaurant and private car tour service and speaks fluent Vietnamese, English, and French. He can speak some Spanish and is learning German. Phillip ate at his restaurant when I was under the weather and got along well with him. Hung's tour cost less than half of what I had found on the Internet and was personalized.

Long Hung Church, a relic of the war

     Hung's first stop for us was a Catholic Church, Long Hung (no connection to him) Church, that had been heavily damaged in 1972. By 1972, the US military presence had decreased greatly from high numbers of troops just a few years earlier.  However, US military equipment was used by the South Vietnamse Army whose troops fought for two years after the US troops left the country. The damage here was from small arms fire and what Hung said was damage when a tank tried to drive in, but didn't make it all the way.

This church, which was not a museum, was, as the Catholic Church wanted it to be, preserved, as nature takes it over, a relic and memorial to war.

     For the young people who never studied the Vietnam War during high school history, this demilitarized zone was established in 1954 when North and South Vietnam were created as separate countries. The Ben Hai River, at about the 17th parallel, was the boundary, and the area within about 2 miles either side of it was declared to be demilitaried, i.e., troops from both sides were barred from the area. However, a lot of the fiercest and most devastating battles of the war occurred near here. Today, over forty-five years after the end of the war, most of the area has been reclaimed for farming.

a mechanical rice harvestor in action

      One area that has been preserved is the tunnel complex of Vinh Moc. Unlike the Cu Chi tunnels in the south, these tunnels were not used for fighting. Bombs from both sides were dropped on the area and the regular people needed a place to be safe.

display of bomb dropped in the Vinh Moc area

    The local population dug the Vinh Moc tunnels for their own protection when bombing raids started. Begun in 1964, the three levels of the tunnels took three years to build.

preparing to head into the tunnels

in the tunnels

The tunnels were built here because the soil has a high clay content. Hung said that farther south, the tunnels that were built collapsed if they were over 7 meters deep. These go 23 meters deep.

flooding was an issue - muddy floor from yesterday's light rain

Up to 400 villagers lived in these tunnels, with a family of four having a nook area off a walkway tunnel. Seventeen babies were born in the tunnels.

A family nook to the right, near the unlit light bulb

The tunnel systen had thirteen entrance/exits: 6 on land and 7 to the sea.

Can you find the tunnel exit? I think not.

Although these tunnels were taller, so it was easier for us and not as claustrophobic as Cu Chi, it was good to make our way out of them.

I used my phone flashlight as no lights in these tunnels

After our tunnel visit, we headed to a nearby beach for lunch. A nice sea breeze cooled us as we had a lunch of fried noodles with squid and vegetables.

beach of the Vietnam Sea near Vinh Moc

We drove over the Ben Hai River going to and from Vinh Moc. A monument to the DMZ and two colors of paint on the bridge are about all that is at that specific location. 

DMZ marker

     Hung stopped at one final spot before our return drive to Hue, a cemetary for the Vietnamese soldiers, both North and South, who died. Some of the remains had been identified and marked, but most were unknown and several large grave markers represented many soldiers buried in one grave. Always a somber reflection.

lost during war

    Hung took us back to our hotel, and this morning he also drove us to the airport. Easy flight to Hanoi and we have another student-led tour in about half an hour.