Photos Tagged: war
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Audrey's grandfather in China during World War II. He was in the China Burma India Theatre. Read more about the search for Audrey's grandfather's house and the results of the search.
Our whacky tour guide holds up a gigantic shoe as an example of the work done in the underground bunkers to keep people clothed, shoed and fed. Our tour began with a North Vietnamese propaganda film praising the courage and industriousness of the Cu Chi fighters.Another example of a tour where you learned more from what was *not* said.Read about our brief brush with the American (Vietnam) War.
Located about 40 kilometers outside of Saigon, the Cu Chi region was the site of a 200 kilometer network of tunnels. These tunnels provided a way for people to navigate the area without being seen and to live underground. Tunnels were complete with living spaces including kitchens, bunkers, factories, clinics. This hole seen here is an example of a hidden entrance to the tunnels. Someone could drop down into the tunnel system to disappear or pop up above ground to lay a trap and then disappear again. Check out the size of the hole compared to the shoes. This gives an indication of how small the tunnels were.Even though a section of the tunnels was widened and to enable tourists to crawl through, the tunnel was still barely navigable and caused almost instant claustrophobia.We left with a greater understanding of how hellish it must have been for both sides fighting in this region (and in the whole of Vietnam). Of the 16,000 people original Cu Chi residents, only 4,000 remained at the conclusion of the war.Read about our brief brush with the American (Vietnam) War.
US military planes and tanks adorn the garden of the War Remnants Museum in HCMC. The exhibits here offer a sobering look into the horrors and aftermath of the Vietnam war, from the immediate loss of life and destruction of farmland to the effects still felt today of chemicals like Agent Orange that were used in the war. Read about our brief brush with the American (Vietnam) War.
We hired a car to take us at 5:30 AM from Hoi An to the Hindu temple complex of My Son. We arrived in such good time that the ticket office had yet to open. We spent the time having coffee with our driver and talking about recent history in that area. His personal story, probably shared by many there, included a father who was a cook for the south Vietnamese government and was then killed by the northern Vietnamese, leaving his mother with 5 children. Due to being on a black list because of the father's alliance, the family was sent to a remote mountain area where other people associated with the southern government were sent. About a decade ago, he was able to move to Hoi An and work as a driver. He had had a difficult life, but was not resentful - he was genuinely thankful to have a job and seemed squarely focused on the present and the future.Read more about a personal story at My Son.
Rice fields below the Tham Pah Tok cave stand flooded in preparation for rice season.Read more about the villages near Nong Khiaw, Laos.
In contrast to its sunshine and smiles, Cambodia's recent history with the Khmer Rouge is dark and tragic. Tuol Sleng, originally a high school in downtown Phnom Penh, was transformed into a prison by the Khmer Rouge between 1975-1979. It's estimated that 20,000 people were imprisoned here; only a handful survived. The Khmer Rouge kept detailed documentation about its prisoners, including photographs like the ones you see here.Although much smaller, Tuol Sleng reminded us of our visit to Auschwitz in Poland years ago. Places like these are not particularly enjoyable to visit, but are necessary to appreciate a country's historical context.Read more about Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
This sign was above a huge crater in the ground next to the Tham Pha Tok cave where villagers hid out to escape American bombings.According to our guidebook, the American government dropped over two million tons of bombs between 1964 and 1973 as part of the Secret War to root out communist sympathizers. Parts of northwestern Laos are riddled with pock-marks and unexploded ordnance.Read more about the villages near Nong Khiaw, Laos.
