Dalama Adventures Tale of two corporate types ditching their jobs and traveling the world for 14 months... check out all photos, blogs & interesting tid bits at http://www.dalama.net

One of the main reasons we wanted to come to Vietnam was to educate ourselves on the history that the US has had here, since we were just small babies when the war was going on.  We've felt a bit ignorant on the facts surrounding the war, and are here for a lesson in history, and to better understand ourselves and the Vietnamese.

It's a sobering experience, a dose of reality, looking into the mirror reflecting an image of Americans at the War Remnants Museum in HCMC.  The story of the Vietnam War (or "American War" as it is termed here), is told through the eyes of a Norther Vietnam perspective.  Entering the museum, there are life size planes and weaponry, donning US logos.  The walls of the building are wall-papered with horrific photos of war torn villages, injured and dead Vietnamese, and pictures of survivors and offspring of those contaminated with agent orange, pesticides and other chemicals used by the American and Southern Vietnamese armies during the war.  Every picture has a tag line "the American bombing, the American Massacre" etc.  We silently wonder to ourselves if all Vietnamese despise and hate Americans.  We were unsure at that moment, as to whether we would be cursed, deplored or welcomed as visitors in this country.   

The museum shows mock up examples of "tiger cages" detention and torture cells where war prisoners were held, "by Americans" and the South Vietnamese army, and through wall hangings and storyboards, it speaks graphically of the methods of torture used to make the North Vietnamese/communist forces, confess and provide vital information to aid "American" efforts.  There are also entire rooms dedicated to photo journalism and anti-war propaganda- posters, billboards, and flyers from hundreds of other countries protesting America's presence in Vietnam, and demanding it's withdrawal.  

This museum puts into very clear view, just what war does to a country, it's people and future generations.  It made us also think and reflect upon the war in Iraq through local civilian eyes, and pause to truly reflect on why Americans are despised or so hated by others throughout the world.  We left today feeling very self conscious, and much more aware and sensitive to how others must perceive America and our government.  Very eye-opening.