Ruminations from the Silver Muse.

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There appeared to be a fashion shoot going on featuring wedding outfits. Several couples being photographed.

 

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Some old photographs.






And some non military equipment.

 

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The indoors part of the museum was more general history than the war.

 

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So that gives the background leading up to the 1954 defeat of the French.

Time now to go outside and drive the short distance to the Reunification Palace.

 

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Whilst waiting to enter the Palace Grounds tree pruning was going on in the park across the road. A job I would definitely be unable to perform.




And the instagrammers were out.

 

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Nice grounds.










And then we head inside.

 

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Cabinet room.


Banquet hall.

 

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private chambers.

 

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An open air courtyard for the private chambers.




The Presidents were hunters and collectors.



Sadly the elephant feet are real.

 

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Now down to the kitchen.




Next we visited the bunker.

 

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And back to the kitchen.








Naturally you exit through the shop.

And back to the kitchen.








Naturally you exit through the shop.






And the President's coffee shop.

 

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Now to the war Remnants Museum.

 

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Now inside. This part could be renamed the Propaganda Museum.

 

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There was a large section on the photographers and reporters of the war.




Now having read up until now you are forgiven for feeling the USA was totally responsible for the war. But they made a little mistake in the photography section with this plaque.


So on Day 1 of the Geneva accords the Viet minh defied the agreement and did not repatriate to the north as stated in the agreement. Also very early on China and then Russia began supplying war materials to the North without which they could not have continued hostilities. So neither side really took any notice of the Geneva accords which ended up never being signed.

 

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Next was a section on Agent Orange. Certainly a terrible way of conducting war. but the pictures of those who were damaged by Agent Orange is not totally true. Conditions which were well known prior to agent orange use do not have any evidence to even suggest if there is a link. Did numbers rise after it's use. No numbers are supplied.





So back outside.






Then into the prison complex with more Evidence of the cruelty shown to the Viet cong by the Americans and south Vietnamese, Including the
guillotine
.

 

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Though of course many POWs of the North Vietnamese ended up in re education camps. many did not survive.

Which brings me to a very interesting difference between our 1999 and 2023 visits. In 1999 we had 5 private guides. Four regurgitated the Government view. The 5th had been a South Vietnamese fighter pilot who had spent 5 years in a reeducation camp. It didn't work. During our visit to Hue he would let us listen to a government guide and then showed us the proof why it was wrong.
This time we had 5 Excursion guides. Only on this last one did the guide express full confidence in the Government. The other 4 described the corruption in the country. To get ahead you needed government connections. One guide had trained to be a teacher. He met and married at University. Her father fought for the North and she got a job as a teacher straight away. his father fought for the south and despite 10 years passing since he graduated he still cant get a job as a teacher, very sad.

 

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I found this statement to be quite hypocritical when compared to their treatment of their opponents in re- education camps after 1975.


Then wandered around the outside exhibits a bit more.