DMZ

I'm not into war movies at all. I saw Deer Hunter, and that was plenty. I think watching people get blown up generally falls into the "un-enjoyable" category. But, after today, I probably will make it a point to check out all the various movies about the Vietnam War.

I visited the Demilitarized Zone, which is the area that divided Vietnam into North and South during the war, and the site of some of the worst battles of the war. The guidebook warns not to stray off the marked paths or touch any left over ordnance; as much as 20% of Vietnam is uncleared and there are still accidents. We drove over the Ben Hai river and through the countryside. I looked across what is now becoming a familiar site - green fields with rice paddies tended by farmers with conical hats and their ox... but this time I saw several circular-shaped pools - craters created by bombs.

The Vinh Moc Tunnels were quite the site and experience. There was a village that had the unfortunate destiny of being located just on the north end of the DMZ. The Viet Cong moved in and the town created elaborate underground tunnels to hide from the Americans. The tunnels went 15 meters deep, and even though I'm short I had to duck to walk through them. There was one "large" meeting room, about 2x7 meters, where the village had school, town meetings, and theater. The villagers lived underground for many years, and occasionally came out at night. There were 17 babies born underground, who are all in their forties today and frequently have reunions. The biggest fear of the villagers was the American "drilling bombs" which exploded twice, once at the surface, and then again underground. Outside of the tunnels, there were many casings and craters, as well as black soot.

One of the saddest sites was seeing the villages in the DMZ, which are incredibly poor. The homes looked as though they were hastily thrown together with whatever materials they could find. Since scrap still remains from the war, they aren't able to use that much of their land's resources. I also saw part of the Ho Chi Minh trail, which VC soldiers used to transport materials to the south, as well as the Rockpile and the Dakrong Bridge.

The heat here is insane. Everyone on my tour was grumbling about the 38 degree heat, and when I finally looked up the translation to Fahrenheit, I saw 38 lined up to about 100. It was agonizing just to step outside the air-conditioned bus for forty minutes in a tank top and shorts. I can't imagine wearing a uniform and fighting a battle. And because of the landscape and climate, many of Vietnamese who fled to the jungles died of malaria.

Finally, I visited Khe Sanh, which was an American military base and the site of the largest battle of the war. There were several U.S. aircraft on display, some of which were just pieces of old vessels that had been shot down. A few men roamed the area, hoping to sell VC and GI dog tags they've found in the bush. There was also a museum with a lot of pictures and weapons, and American, South Vietnam, and Viet Cong uniforms. I took a peak through the guestbook, and it seems as though Khe Sanh is a popular site for curious tourists all over the world, though my eye was particularly drawn to the American vets who come back to look at the place that had such a large impact on their lives, as well as Americans who came to see the sites where their loved ones lost their lives.

Vietnam is an extraordinary place to visit, because a major piece of history is so recent. The country is prosperous today, but continues to recover from war and it seems as though some of the sentiment between the North and South still remains, particularly with the older generation. Regarding perception of Americans, it's hard for me to tell. America is unpopular with the world right now, in general. I'd previously met a Brit who warned me that he saw a caption of a soldier in a museum that read "American Imperialist Dog." I also had an interaction with an older North Vietnamese woman: I was trying to negotiate the price on some cheap pearls, and when she found out I was American, she had a look in her eyes that immediately prompted me to just pay her asking price. But, I've been treated fantastic and everyone is really nice (though I'm mostly talking to Vietnamese in the tourism industry who want my money). Most of the displays I've seen showcase the support from all the Americans who protested the war. Tonight after my tour, I slurped down a cocktail at the DMZ Cafe called "The B-52."

And that, of course, is what also makes Vietnam extraordinary to visit. The history of Vietnam is also American history - and American present. The war was one of the defining - and dividing - events of our largest generation, and unfortunately I think it continues to influence the sharp divide in our country today and muddles the dialogue on current events. So, it was really good for me to be here and digest all this.

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