HCMC – Ho Chi Minh City, aka Saigon to the locals. First big city in a while. Not a great deal to do other than poke around the museums and try and understand the war…
Couple of things that are immediately noticeable. The size, length, cost of the Vietnam war and it’s “secret” predecessors is astonishing and it’s hard not to just see this part of S.E Asia as the unfortunate meat in an East V. West sandwich…
Secondly – There is no holding back with the imagery. The terrible, full impact of chemical weapons (e.g. Agent Orange) on people during and for many years after the war is shown. As is the ongoing tragedy of people killed and injured (nearly 600 killed *since* 1999, http://tinyurl.com/35l223q) from forgotten ordinance that they have the misfortune to find.
HCMC has the hustle and bustle of any big city, so it is odd to walk down the street and suddenly come across planes, tanks, choppers etc:
For Vietnam, read Afghanistan/Iraq now. ‘Wars’ against enemies that don’t exist. Both started as a result of mysterious manufactured attacks – 9/11 we all know, and Gulf of Tonkin for Vietnam.
The USA needs to be involved in some kind of war at all times because arms are one of the few things they still manufacture. So if there’s no one who wants a fight, let’s pretend like someone is picking a fight anyway, preferrably someone who has bought your old weapons – cashback! As Bill Hicks said ‘How do you know they have weapons? We looked at the receipt!’.
But send someone else’s son over on a hiding to nothing.
Now all you metal heads go play any of the following – Disposable Heroes – Metallica. Expendable Youth – Slayer or their always memorable Mandatory Suicide.
Peace and love, peace and love….no autographs. Ringo