War Remnants museum.
Well. I have to say this museum was one of the most graphic, no-holds-barred museum I have ever been to. I managed to make it all the way round, but in the last five minutes I was starting to sniffle and having to take deep breaths: it was really, really harrowing.
Based around the American-Vietnam war, this museum has pics of all of the victims of Agent Orange (and their subsequently, horrendously deformed children); of landmines and all other weapons; Vietnamese and American soldiers in combat, injured, dying, dead; mothers swimming their four children to safety across rivers from where their village had been bombed; a load of torture devices, including tiger and pig cages where they held prisoners; and on and on. I am leaving most of the worst bits out. It was truly horrifying.
We bought a couple of photocopied books for US$30 from a landmine victim who had lost both of his arms above the elbow, one of his legs up to the waist, and an eye. I hope he gets the money and not some pimp above him.
I maintained before I came on this trip that it was not a holiday, it was a travelling experience where I would find out about the culture of the countries I am going to (plus have a bit of dumb tourism on the way of course). Hence I wanted to go to this museum, and I will be going to the Killing Fields in Cambodia. But it was really, really emotional.
Based around the American-Vietnam war, this museum has pics of all of the victims of Agent Orange (and their subsequently, horrendously deformed children); of landmines and all other weapons; Vietnamese and American soldiers in combat, injured, dying, dead; mothers swimming their four children to safety across rivers from where their village had been bombed; a load of torture devices, including tiger and pig cages where they held prisoners; and on and on. I am leaving most of the worst bits out. It was truly horrifying.
We bought a couple of photocopied books for US$30 from a landmine victim who had lost both of his arms above the elbow, one of his legs up to the waist, and an eye. I hope he gets the money and not some pimp above him.
I maintained before I came on this trip that it was not a holiday, it was a travelling experience where I would find out about the culture of the countries I am going to (plus have a bit of dumb tourism on the way of course). Hence I wanted to go to this museum, and I will be going to the Killing Fields in Cambodia. But it was really, really emotional.
posted by Nic at 5:35 pm
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