Hue, Vietnam: Royal Grounds, War, and Young People

I just spent a day and a half exploring the city of Hue (prounounced, 'Hway'), in Vietnam. It was the seat of the old royal court back in the day.

The centerpiece is the royal compound, an area around 1.5 miles by 1.5 miles, surrounded by a large wall and, in royal fashion, a moat. There's a large citadel, which now flies the Vietnamese flag, and inside the wall, many beautiful buildings and gardens. Really nice.

To various degrees, it's almost all been reconstructed, because it turns out Hue was the scene of intense fighting during the US-Vietnam war. The further south I travel in this country, the more I reach cities that were major flashpoints.

As someone who has always loved history, and is especially interested in this war, it's quite fascinating. Tanks filled the streets. North Vietnamese troops were actually hunkered down inside the walls of the royal compound. Then, US troops. And then, as the tide turned, North Vietnamese troops once again.

My second night in town, I had dinner at the Mandarin Cafe, which is owned by an amatuer photographer, Mr. Cu, who served as a firefighter for the US military in the early 1970s. At his restaurant, he showed me a book featuring photographs - including 3 of battles in Hue - taken by journalists who died covering the war. It was very moving. Crazy, terrible, captivating photos.

The more I've been reading about the war, and the more I've been talking to people about it, the more complex - and surprising - it seems to me.

I came here not really doubting that the vast majority of Vietnamese supported the liberation movement. I'm not sure, but from what I'm reading and seeing it seems that most people were simply stuck in the middle - as civilians always are - and just wanted to stay alive.

Many Vietnamese who aided the Viet Cong (the Communist guerilla movement that worked in tandem with the North Vienamese military) did so it seems more out of fear of reprisal than out of support for the communist cause. And many Vietnamese supported the US-backed Saigon regime.

Of course, the reverse is true as well. Many Vietnamese supported the liberation movement, and many aided the US out of fear. Or, in Mr. Cu's case, for money.

I'm reading about Cambodia as well - the war engulfed that country, as well as Laos. And the same seems to be true: civilians caught between brutal forces, civilians who just wanted to go on with their lives.

This isn't to say one side is not preferable to the other. And of course I don't believe US involvement in Vietnam was just or sensible.

But I am getting a fuller picture, I think. And what a place to do it. 40 years ago, those manicured lawns I walked in Hue were full of rubble, trenches, fox holes, troops and artillery. Now the citadel flies the Vietnamese Communist flag. Crazy.

Love Roni

ps - This morning I woke up pretty early, rented a bicycle, and rode around the less touristy part of Hue. I wandered through markets and narrow alleys, and past rice paddies, local houses and eateries.

At one point I heard lots of cheering and thought, "I need to go in there!" There turned out to be Hue University, and the students were hosting a tug of war. They were SO excited.

A group of them came up to me, did the customary giggle & sweet smile thing, and then invited me into their 'club', a room where we sat and talked for a while. They were interested in my impressions of Vietnam. I was interested in their perspectives on US-Vietnam relations (given our history) and on Vietnam's development.

Like every Vietnamese person I've talked too, they all seem to like America and want to build a peaceful future, not talk about a terrible past. They also strongly support Vietnam's industrial development, and yet, to my surprise, felt strongly that Vietnam must protect its environment while doing so.

There may be more lurking beneath the surface here, but so far I've witnessed a widespread uniformity of opinion amongst the Vietnamese. That's all for now from anthropologist Krouzman.