March 26 - A Visit to the DMZ

From 1954 until 1975, the Ben Hai river was the original demarcation point between North and South Vietnam. 5km either side of the river was declared a DMZ - a stark contrast to what really took place in this region. In fact, the surrounding region experienced some of the heaviest fighting during the Vietnam War.



On our visit we found this a very quiet area in which to reflect. We drove over the new modern bridge, visited the Reunification Museum and walked back across the historic old wooden Hien Luong Bridge.



The museum was of interest but also a stark reminder of the price we paid in this war.



On the bridge looking north, back toward the museum.



On the bridge looking south, the Trung Hai school is just beyond the monument.