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Ho Chi Minh City, the biggest city in Vietnam 胡志明市旅游景点 (越南最大城市)

HO CHI MINH CITY

Ho Chi Minh City, formerly known as Saigon, is the largest city in Vietnam.  It was an important sea port in the 17th century.  It was the capital of the French colony of Cochin-china (1862 – 1954) and later the capital of South Vietnam (1955 – 1975).  The People’s Army of Vietnam and National Liberation Front captured Saigon on 30 April 1975.  The Fall of Saigon (or Liberation of Saigon) marked the end of the Vietnam War.

Ben Thanh Market

This is Ho Chi Minh City landmark: the Ben Thanh Market. The Market was first constructed in 1911.  The present structure was restored in 1985. The Market offers various items from domestic household needs to tourist carry-away. A walking distance away from this Market is the city bus station where the airport bus also passes by. There are a number of attractions nearly, such as Independence Palace/ Reunification Palace (0.7 km), Art Museum (0.3 km), Revolutionary Museum/Ho Chi Minh City Museum (0.6 km), Water Puppet Theatre (1.1 km), War Remnants Museum (1.3 km). [Bracket denotes walking distance from the Market]


War Remnants Museum

This is the view from the War Remnants Museum entrance; the background is the hub of commercial centre. The museum displays exhibits relating to the Vietnam War.  It was first called “The House for displaying war crimes of American imperialism and the Puppet government” when it was opened in 1975; later it was called “Museum of American War Crimes”; then as “War Crime Museum”. Its current name follows the normalization of relation with the U.S. in the 1990s. In display are military equipment, helicopter, fighter, bomb, tank, bomber and unexploded ordnance and photographs covering the effects of Agent Orange and other toxic chemical sprays and atrocities of war such as the My Lai Massacre.

(click to enlarge )		(Left photo) Toxic chemical sprayed over Vietnam during the Vietnam War amounted to 100 million litres; this amount can fill up to 40 Olympic-size swimming pools.  Scientists agree that dioxin is the most harmful and toxic chemical ever discovered by mankind to date.  Only as little as 85 gm of dioxin could kill a whole city with a population of 8 million. That being so the 170 kg of dioxin used on Vietnam could kill 16,000 million people, more than today’s world population of 7,000 million!

<< source: as displayed in War Remnants Museum


The data speaks

Comparative figures about 3 wars in which the U.S. participated 美国参与三次战争的一些数字比较：
 World War II 二战The Korea War   韩战The Vietnam War  越战
Length of War
战争持久		3 years 8 months
3年8个月		3 years 1 month
3年1个月		17 years 2 month
17年2个月
Military personnel serving on active duty 参战军人人数16,112,5665,720,0008,744,000
Peak troop strength
高峰期参与军人人数		-327,000
6.1953   1953年6月		549,500
4.1969   1969年4月
Tonnage of bombs and artillery shells
炸弹和炮弹数量		5,000,000 ton (吨)2,600,000 ton (吨)14,300,000 ton (吨)
Cost of war
代价		US$ 341 billionsUS$ 54 billionsUS$ 676 billions
Casualties – killed
死亡人数		405,39936,40758,159
Casualties – wounded
受伤人数		671,846103,284304,000
Source: original data in English is taken from display in War Remnants Museum, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam with translation in Chinese by the writer. 以上英文资料采自越南胡志明市战争博物馆，中文由作者翻译。


Independence Palace (Reunification Palace)

From Left:
  1. The gate of the Independence Palace (Reunification Palace) as seen on 8 May 2012
  2. A tank from the Liberation Army smashed the gate of Independence Palace on 30 April 1975
  3. The compound as seen from the top floor of the Independence Palace on 8 May 2012
  4. Tanks from the Liberation Army advanced in convoy towards Independence Palace on 30 April 1975


Cu Chi Tunnels

Cu Chi Tunnels are part of a large network of underground tunnels located in Cu Chi District about 75 km north west of Ho Chi Minh City.  They were the bases of operation for the Viet Cong (National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam) guerrillas during the 1960 – 1975 period. They also serve as food, weapon supply and communication routes; there were also hospital facilities to tend to the wounded and the sick, meeting room to discuss operation strategy, kitchen for the preparation of food for the residents living in the tunnels.

Life in the tunnels was not simple or easy.  Food and water were scarce and the tunnels were infested with ants, spiders, scorpions and snakes.  Sickness especially due to malaria was rampant.
The unique underground architectural system, with access to the Saigon River, has numerous floors, spreading like cobweb over 200 km in length. The tunnels help to achieve ultimate military success in the war with the Americans.  

The complex of tunnels has been turned into a war memorial park.  Tourists were briefed on the various traps (such as tiger trap, booby trap with bamboo spikes, rotary trap) primitive as they may see, but very effective to make the enemies suffered, and at time died due to the suffering.  The tunnels are a popular tourist attraction.  Visitors are invited to crawl the tunnel. Lights have been installed and the tunnel made larger to make moving through the tunnels much easier.


Accomodation in HCMC

SAIGON MINI HOTEL is located in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City and a walking distance to the city landmark, the Ben Thanh Market (1.4 km).  The airport bus passes by the Market.  Most of the interesting attractions (Independence Palace, War Remnants Museum, Water Puppet Theatre, Revolutionary Museum and others) are within walking distance from the hotel. Helpful staff Mr Cai speaks fluent Cantonese and Mandarin.

102/1A Cong Quynh St. District 1, HCMC
Tel: (84.8) 3836 1008    Fax: (84.8) 3838 9599
www.saigonminihotel.com
Booking email: booking@saigonminihotel.com
From left: Amy, Jee (writer from Malaysia), GM Jerry and Sally; photo taken on 8 May 2012