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Hanoi - Day 3

Military History Museum, Ethnology Museum, and more.......

01.19.2008

Today we woke up bright and early and headed to the Military History museum. It was fascinating. There were many weapons and vehicles on display from the conflicts with the Americans, Japanese, and the French. The museum was very biased, however - for example, the US-backed government is referred to as the "puppet government" in all the exhibits, and there are only exhibits showing the terrible things their enemies have done to them, and not vice versa.
Anyway, there was lots to see - including the infamous tank that crashed through the gates of the Presidential palace in April 30, 1975. Also on display were wreckages of downed US and French aircraft, as well as captured helicopters, tanks, and howitzers.

We also went to the Ethnology museum, which gave us a better understanding of the different types of groups that make up Vietnam. We got a chance to see ancient tools, musical instruments, and more. Amara liked this museum better than the military history museum.

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Posted by Erik-Amara 01:07

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I'm not surprised the museum was "biased" -- but the South Vietnamese government WAS a puppet. Our museums are little more balanced -- I think you'll get a far more 2-sided account of the genocide of our indigenous Americans in the Smithsonian's new American Indian Museum, for example. But probably NOT in the Smithsonian of the 1920's only 25 years after the end of the "Indisan Wars". Give the Vietnamese a litlle more time...

01.19.2008 by tomq

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01.19.2008 by tomq

GrandmaQ. Your Dad just signed me up to respond to your blog directly, and I am so pleased! Your dad ran the marathon in a decent time and the hardest part was picking him up after, as there were 35,000 runners and a like number of automobiles picking them up! We enjoyed it all, however. We loved our trip to Grand Canyon, and I'd love to have you and Amara do that trip sometime and come to visit me. It's a good two day trip form my place. I'm so happy to be in communication with you and hearing about your travels and experiences. Vietnam is interesting, and I'll follow you to the ends of the earth. Love from GR Q

01.19.2008 by GrandmaQ

Wonderful pictures of Vietnam! Your observations are cogent as well. Enjoy the remainder of journey and keep safe.

mom

01.19.2008 by Quarnstrom

Erik and Amara,

I check your blog several times per week. You are my personal Asia/Pacific "correspondents", and I admittedly get a sort of vicarious enjoyment out of reading about your journeys and experiences over there.

I'm curious as to what your observations are on the cultural differences between Vietnam in China. Your paragraph on the museum reminded me of one of my own experiences this past summer, when I traveled with Mujuan to her hometown of Dandong, a city on the border between China and North Korea. We visited the "Museum of American Aggression", which described the Chinese involvement in the Korean War (the Chinese actually refer to it as the "War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea"). The title kind of sets the tone for the place, and the jingoistic displays and narrative weren't all that different from what I've seen in other Chinese museums. I was somewhat surprised that this place hadn't undergone a pre-Olympics revision, which, from what I have read, has happened in many Chinese museums.

Enjoy the rest of your time in Vietnam. If you're still in Hanoi, don't leave without first trying the pho(beef noodles) and nem ran(spring rolls). Let's meet on Skype when you're back in China.

Matt

01.21.2008 by perleym

For another perspective, visit the military museum in Seoul.

Glenda Q

01.21.2008 by Quarnstrom

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