Vietnamese Martyrs' Cemetery

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Vietnam has had a torrid history of invasion, occupation and liberation. I'm not getting at the Americans here. France, Japan, China and Cambodia have all been involved in terrible things in this country. In the UK we honour our war dead with cenotaphs and war graves in cemeteries and here it is no different, but not many people seem to be aware of the martyrs' cemeteries dotted around Vietnam.

One of them is fairly close to us just outside Thu Dau Mot on the way towards Ho Chi Minh City. We thought we would pay a visit. It was a scene of tranquility as nobody else was visiting at the time. There were a few workmen around, mostly looking after the plants or fixing up the memorial or one of the twin pagodas. They didn't bother us as we walked around and we found it a very interesting place.

We had expected to see graves from the American war, but we hadn't realised just how much conflict this region has endured. It went on long before that war, and continued long afterwards. The names on the graves and the long list of martyrs on the walls made it a haunting place. There was one memorable statue in the cemetery, that of a huge rock with the image of a soldier hollowed out inside.

If anyone has further information about these martyrs' cemeteries, please leave comments as we would dearly like to learn more.

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