The American War

---

That is how the Vietnamese refer to the war.

And one of the sole reasons for our stop in Hue in Central Vietnam was to tour the Demilitarized zone. From the Vinh Moc tunnels and the Ho Chi Minh trail to the notorious Khe Sanh Marine base, we toured what is known as the 17th parallel...the region that saw some of the wars heaviest fighting. We have been told that the locals do not care to talk about the war. Many of them still remember and a few will even show you their wounds. But for the most part, the Demilitarized Tour is set up for tourists. All nationalities come here to see the DMZ, except for Vietnamese and Americans. With three million Vietnamese fatalities and roughly 58,000 Americans, it's no wonder we choose to forget.

But over the years, more and more vets come to visit what is left of the Khe Sanh Marine base, the site of the famous battle of 1968. Not much remains today. A small museum with some photos, an old American Huey helicopter, a ravaged tank, and a few bomb casings litter what is now a tropical field of coffee and pepper trees. The air strip is now just a dirt road used by locals. A few men approached us with some relics to buy. To our horror, they were selling old dog dogs of American soldiers and stars of the Vietcong. Our initial reaction was to walk away, but then we thought of purchasing them with the intention to find their families (that is if they weren't fakes). Most of the area has been scavenged by locals trying to find metal scraps, bombs and relics to trade for food and money.

We passed by the Ho Chi Minh trail, but the only thing we could see was dense tropical forest. Of course, that is they way it was even during the war.

The next stop was the Vinh Moc tunnels. Unlike the Cu Chi tunnels in the South, these tunnels served as home to more than 400 Vietnamese villagers during the war. Covering over 2KM, the tunnels were built to a depth of 30km with 12 entrances and seven openings to the South China Sea. Constructed over 18 months, they housed hundreds of villagers. Each family was crammed into a small living quarter lit by torch (until electricity in 1972). Seventeen children were born underground during the war.

For a small fee, you can visit the Vinh Moc tunnels. But with a gentle warning from the guides, "Stick close; it's easy to get lost."

---