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This summer, my friends and I had the opportunity to visit Quang Tri province. Having grown up in Saigon, we were always reminded of the bombs and bullets of those wartime days. This fueled my desire to travel to the front lines, to the heroic land of Quang Tri, both to find traces of those painful years and to learn lessons from history, and more importantly, to better understand the sacrifices of the previous generation.
I spent many days exploring Quang Tri, visiting numerous important historical sites, and the place that left the strongest impression was Khe Sanh, a little-known location. Khe Sanh is just a small area on the Vietnam-Laos border. The name Khe Sanh became known worldwide through the Battle of Khe Sanh in 1968, often referred to as the "second Dien Bien Phu." Let's take a look at these photos and learn more about this area.
A friend of mine was completely submerged beneath the trench system. It was clearly dug quite deep, deep enough for American soldiers to move underneath.
Beneath the trench, today, vegetation grows profusely. Behind it lies the wreckage of an airplane that never returned.
Above the top of a junction of trenches. This was often where soldiers observed from a distance.
This is a view from inside the moat, where the guards raised their guns and fired outwards.
The two battles at Khe Sanh in 1968 lasted a total of 170 days. Khe Sanh became the first place where the US military had to withdraw from a crucial military base due to enemy pressure. To this day, many still believe that the "Battle of Khe Sanh" was the most brutal, devastating, and costly battle of the preceding period.
Khe Sanh, Quang Tri, also houses the strategic Ta Con airfield, a crucial nerve center in the entire American combat system in this border region. This complex and fortified trench system still stands today after enduring the vicissitudes of history.
A very meaningful place to sit down together, reflect on history, and gain a better understanding of a difficult period.
These kinds of monuments can make you think a lot about war and peace.
When I arrived in Quang Tri, I suddenly realized it was the beginning of summer, and I was also startled to realize that this year marks exactly 50 years since the days when American planes flew like clouds and dropped bombs like rain here.
On my way out of Quang Tri, amidst the cool, peaceful air of April, I kept wondering why this place is so forgotten and rarely mentioned. Every tree, every hill, every inch of land in Quang Tri is sacred, steeped in the blood and bones of our people.
There are also the remains of tanks and airplanes here, all within the museum grounds.
Feel the sacred atmosphere in Quang Tri, where so many people have laid to rest.
A photograph inside the museum speaks volumes about the grief.
Perhaps the most peaceful place to rest is always the one that doesn't need to be noisy or chaotic?
Additional information:
About the author:Thinh is a curious person with a burning passion for exploring culture and geography. Thinh has stories to tell, told through films, photo collections, or short travelogues. "A Story by Thinh" is a personal sharing of the emotions experienced during the magical journeys of youth.
Regarding transportation:Quang Tri does not have an airport. From Saigon or Hanoi, you have to fly to Phu Bai Airport (Hue) or Dong Hoi Airport (Quang Binh), then travel to Quang Tri. If you like to explore, you can rent a motorbike to get around Quang Tri.
