A week ago I visited the War Remnants Museum for the first time in Saigon. It is definitely worth a visit if you really want to see the horrors of war. Below are some photos from my visit:
Perused, Opinionated Expat Living in Saigon
A week ago I visited the War Remnants Museum for the first time in Saigon. It is definitely worth a visit if you really want to see the horrors of war. Below are some photos from my visit:
I’ve never visited that musemum before, but I agree with you that war is very horrible. The politicians, the governments and the world’s leaders always always have very good reasons to explain why they get involved in a war. Call me stupid but I really don’t get their point, I really don’t understand why war is good when people take weapon and slain each others.
I also eventually checked out this sorry excuse for a museum. It is/was poorly curated, neglectfully maintained and probably, after a thorough scrubbing, should be re-oriented to a more positive aspect of Vietnamese culture. I’m glad I didn’t rush to see it!
That this place is suggested as a destination for tourists is nuts.
For what?
The anti-colonial struggle is fading into ancient history.
A pal of mine, Tim Page, took the photos that are enlarged and cover the upper reaches of the walls. These photos have not been maintained and will, hopefully, be replaced soon with new copies, if the museum continues as currently themed.
The management of this institution needs a kick in the pants. They are attracting a lot of visitors and collecting a lot of cash, but what then?
See the horrors of war? Or a horrible presentation…
The legacy going forward under the leadership of the victors is more worthy of focus, and of interest to visitors/tourists. The amazing recent history of recovery and development, here in Vietnam, against long odds, is a more compelling narrative.
They started it. God bless all Allied servicemen that served in Vietnam.
Who is “they”? Who do you believe started the so-called “Vietnamese War”?
One can never fully realize what that war was all about until one visits Saigon today.
Excellent stuff. I found when I was there this summer that the city of Saigon(Ho Chi Minh City) had physically been cleaned up and renovated, but the people are still the same as they were in 1967–hustlers. Still, one cannot really understand that war unless one has spent some time in the new city. It has retrieved much of its colonial romantic atmosphere. It is sad that Norodam Palace was torn down because the new Reunification Palace even though it is certainly a fine piece of architecture doesn’t have the same feel as the Norodam Palace. The Hotel de Ville really should have been renovated as a hotel because it does have the same feel as Norodam, at least it does from the outside. Again, thanks for sharing.
@Kenneth: Thanks for sharing your comments. Are you a Vietnam Vet?