The “Unified Memorial of Hope” and Hiền Lương Bridge

Hiền Lương Bridge

Hiền Lương Bridge is a bridge over the Bến Hải River. The bridge is located at the 17th Parallel, which divided Vietnam into two parts by the Geneva Accords of 1954. It formed part of the border between South Vietnam and North Vietnam from 1954 till the reunification. After the partition, the northern part of the bridge was painted red and the southern part yellow. Now the northern part is blue – guess they were out of red paint when they renovated the bridge. Today it is a major national monument with a museum and two memorials – one on each side of the river.

The old bridge itself is a simple steel construction built by the French in 1950. On the southern side is the Reunification Memorial, which, for a change, is quite modern compared to some of the other memorials I saw on my Vietnam trips.

Guess they used the speakers to blast propaganda over the water. They still do that at the DMZ in Korea

Does not look like this one delivers HIFI sound, but judging by the size,e it is probably quite loud

Monument on the North side of the bridge. You see the bigger Reunification Memorial on the other side.

The Đài Tưởng niệm Khát Vọng Thống Nhất Memorial Park

The centre piece with a woman and her daughter, in the back 6 feathers.

The NVA is on the way down south on the Ho Chi Minh path along the border of Laos and inside Laos.

Captured Vietnamese in prisons – the farmers pray for them.

But the North is not only fighting on the battlefield, they also mining – men and women together. While the US bombs their trucks. On the right, you can see US soldiers – easy to spot with their fancy sunglasses!

Fresh from the battleship ship they march along. A spook on the right watches what is going on.

NVA troops battle their way towards the South

This way! This way!

And in the middle of the war, Uncle Ho gave some flowers to a guy. On the right, the fighting continues!

The battle is in its last days. Mortars, RPG’s and light weapons are in use, fire everywhere, and big bombs drop. The man on the radio calls for instructions.

Finally the war is over! Hill tribe girls, farmer and city girls unite and dance

Vietnam is one
Vietnamese people are one
But what we need. Mountains can wear out.
But that truth never changes

That is what Google Translate gives me – hmmm

Next year I will be back – getting a picture of the flag pole and visiting the museum – pictures will follow!

The DZM Memorial Site