A Rifle in One Hand and a Plow in the Other

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I would be remiss if I did not include an entry on one of the most important events in recent Vietnamese history, which is what we Americans refer to as the Vietnam War and the Vietnamese call the American War.

The day after I arrived in Saigon, Lili and I visited the Cu Chi tunnels. These are part of the extensive system of tunnels that that Viet Cong used to carry troops and supplies during the American War. The tunnels had secret entrances, even places that were underwater in some places. The Americans unsuccessfully tried to break the Ho Chi Minh supply line, but couldn't find the location of all the hidden tunnels or break the will of the Vietnamese.

I had mixed feelings about the tunnels, especially the propaganda film they show before you see them. As the film states, like most of the Vietnamese people, the villagers of Cu Chi had a "rifle in one hand and a plow in the other." While I don't agree with the Vietnam War and the reasons why it was fought, I still think the cheerful footage of heroes who killed many French or US soldiers was pretty insensitive. I couldn't help but think of those middle-aged men I've seen weeping by the Vietnam memorial in DC and wonder what happened to their buddies.

The models of VC soldiers building bombs, writing letters to their sweethearts, etc. were very Disney-esque, especially the automatic ones that moved. The guides made jokes about the traps and other devices that the VC used to cripple soldiers. They even had a shooting range, where you could pay just over $1 per bullet (6 bullet minimum) to fire an M-16 or AK-47.

After seeing the firing range and Disney models, it was finally time to see the real thing. The tunnels have been widened so tourists can fit, but they are still really tiny for us big westerners. It was so hot in there and I felt so claustrophobic, I could barely stand it for the 10 minutes I was in there. It was completely pitch black in some places, and I couldn't even see the person crawling in front of me. The VC soldiers stayed underground for days and only emerged at night. These people were unbelievably tenacious. After visiting the tunnels, I realized why we lost the war. We just don't have what it takes to endure days in those cramped, dark conditions and the US military gravely underestimated the dedication of the Vietnamese people.

The same day, we also visited the Cao Dai temple. The Cao Dai are a unique religious group that incorporate Buddhism, Catholicism, Hinduism, Taoism, Confuciamism, Islam and a few other isms I've probably forgotten into their beliefs. They have some really strange beliefs, but I like the synthesis of so many different beliefs.

The three disciples are the first Vietnamese poet laureate, Sun Yat-sen, and Victor Hugo. The leadership hierarchy of the Cao Dai is similar to Catholics in that they have a male pope, though females can hold other leadership positions.

We saw a Cao Dai religious ceremony, which was an interesting experience. They kneel on the floor and bow down like Muslims do, and they also worship five times daily. The robes looked more Catholic and the music was more Buddhist, and the architecture of their temple was a mixture of everything you can imagine. These are truly a unique people.

There are other Vietnam War related places that I visited in Saigon, including the War Remnants Museum. This is a powerful place depicting the atrocities committed by the Americans in Vietnam, including the My Lai massacre and the use of napalm and phosphorous bombs. There were some pretty gruesome photos and displays of the birth defects caused by these chemical weapons. They also have some exhibits of US military equipment and many photos from the war, usually depicting US soldiers on the run or getting beaten by the Vietnamese in some other way.

Unfortunately, I was unable to visit the Reunification Palace, which was the setting of the dramatic scene where the VC tanks crashed through the gates when Saigon fell in April 1975. The Reunification Palace is being renovated for the big Liberation Day holiday on April 30 and is closed from April to June, so I could only see it from outside. Maybe next time.

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Photos

Amy at the Cu Chi tunnels
Free at last!

VC soldier figure
They had some rather odd figures that looked like Dosney wax dolls, only these were making weapons and doing other soldierly things.

Reunification Palace
These are the famous gates that the VC tank crashed through when Saigon fell. Unfortunately, the museum was closed for renovation so I could not see inside.