VIETNAM MILITARY HISTORY MUSEUM
Vietnam Military History Museum is a must-see sight in Hanoi, especially for history buffs. You will have a full understanding of Vietnam's victory over French colonists and American imperialists.
Vietnam Military History Museum Information:
Address: 28A Dien Bien Phu Street, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi City
Opening hours: 8:00 am - 11:30 am and 1:30 pm - 4:30 pm
Ticket and Fees: 40,000 VNĐ/person
The Vietnam Military History Museum houses hundreds of exhibits, pictures, maps, and scale models that were employed during Vietnam's lengthy resistance history. If you're wondering about the S-shaped country's major triumphs, be sure to include this landmark on your Hanoi itinerary to discover the mysteries behind it.
The Vietnam Military History Museum, located in the center of Hanoi City, is 10,000 square meters in size. Other prominent sights nearby include the Presidential Palace, Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Botanical Gardens, and Uncle Ho's stilt residence.
The History of the Vietnam Military History Museum:
The Military Museum was built at the end of 1954 by the Ministry of Defense, under the guidance of the Vietnam Communist Party, to preserve evidence of the country's great battles. The museum was formally launched on December 22, 1959, which coincided with the 15th anniversary of the Vietnam People's Army's founding.
During their visit to the Museum, the Guy Bagot pair from Australia spent a lot of time beside General Vo Nguyen Giap's image in the exhibition room "Vo Nguyen Giap - First General and Commander-in-Chief". Between 1968 and 1970, the spouse participated in the American war in Vietnam. Bago claimed at the time that he did not know the Vietnamese army's size, but troops like him often spoke highly of the General.
On December 4, 2002, the Prime Minister decided to alter the name to the Vietnam Military History Museum. It is now one of six national museums in Vietnam.
The Vietnam Military History Museum, originally known as the Army Museum, was established in 1956 and opened to the public three years later. It was founded in 1964 as the Vietnam Army Museum Academy and was renamed the Vietnam Military History Museum in 2002.
Approximately 2,000 of the museum's 150,000 items and papers are on exhibit in an area of roughly 3,200 square meters. The exhibitions depict the vibrant history of Vietnam's national formation and building from the Hung Kings to the Ho Chi Minh era, with recreations of some notable battles against foreign invaders. They illustrate the Vietnamese army's tactics and art of warfare.
Colonel Nguyen Xuan Nang, Director of the Museum, explains that the museum is divided into six sections, each with a different theme: heroic Vietnamese mothers, heroic Vietnamese nation, heroic Vietnamese people's army, the tradition of the Vietnam People's Army, Vietnamese weapons and weapon production tools, global support for Vietnam's resistance wars, and relations between the Vietnam People's Army and those in other countries.
Nang explains, "The museum draws tourists because it is housed in a historical relic location, the Hanoi Flag Tower, which is strongly identified with the city. This is the only museum in Vietnam with an outdoor exhibit of huge items, weaponry, and battle remains from both Vietnam and its adversaries. Foreign visitors are particularly interested in key historical events such as the Dien Bien Phu Campaign and the Ho Chi Minh Campaign. The museum has two sand tables for these two campaigns and provides introductions and presentations in six languages."
Over the last 50 years, the museum has always focused on upgrading its displays and information. The display system has been updated, with improvements in scale, content, and forms. Over the past decade, the museum has published 30 publications and hosted 70 exhibitions. Every year, the museum's researchers gather around 600 artifacts. Following the 2009–2010 effort to collect and exhibit war artifacts, the museum received over 10,000 pieces from war veterans and tourists.
Colonel Nang said, "The museum is presently showcasing two of the 30 recognized national priceless relics. They are the MIG 21 jet designated 5121, which Hero Pilot Pham Tuan flew during the Dien Bien Phu air campaign to shoot down a US B52 bomber, and the tank marked 843, which was the first to enter Independence Palace on April 30, 1975. The display of the Vietnamese army's self-made weaponry, in particular, attracts a large number of visitors, particularly foreigners. Only after viewing the museum can they truly grasp how Vietnam, a small and impoverished country without modern weaponry, conquered both the French and Americans."
The museum has had over 17 million visitors, half of them foreigners from more than 150 countries. Nguyen Thi Lan Huong, who works in the Museum's Display-Communication Section, says, "There have been many international visitors to the museum, but those from South Africa have struck me the most. When they were presented to the exhibition on the Dien Bien Phu Campaign, they stated that the South African people were greatly impressed by this triumph, which has inspired South Africans in particular and Africans, in general, to stand up to reclaim their independence."
The museum is proposing a plan to the Ministry of National Defense to expand and modernize the museum in order to add additional exhibits to fulfill increased tourist demand. Once rebuilt, the new museum will provide visitors with a more comprehensive perspective of Vietnam, its country and people, and the power of the Vietnam People's Army.
What to visit in Vietnam Military History Museum Hanoi?
The museum spans six historical periods:
Before 1930: The nation's growth and defense from the reign of the Hung Kings to 1930.
From 1930 to 1953: the formation of the Communist Party of Vietnam and the Vietnamese revolutionary armed forces (1930-1945); the expansion of the armed forces during the resistance battle against the French (1946-1953).
The Winter-Spring Offensive (1953–1954) and the Dien Bien Phu Campaign: The successful campaign of the 1954 Dien Bien Phu Battle, forced the French to accept the Geneva Agreement to terminate the war and restore peace in Indochina.
From 1954 until 1968, the Vietnamese army expanded in South Vietnam to defend against the Americans.
From 1969 to 1974: The Vietnamese people's triumph over American bombings, particularly the struggle in North Vietnam in 1972, prompted the US to sign the Paris Peace Accords and resulted in the evacuation of American troops from South Vietnam.
The General Assault and Uprising of 1975 was the final attack that brought an end to the resistance fight against the Americans.
The museum today houses tens of thousands of items, presented in three indoor and two outdoor zones, guiding visitors through the Vietnamese people's resistance conflicts. Visitors often require two hours to fully study the vast collection of weaponry used throughout Vietnam's lengthy history. These relics will amaze you with the knowledge and patriotism of the Vietnamese army and people, which resulted in the country's successes, while the invaders' armaments were considerably more advanced.
Vietnam Military History Museum Indoor And Outdoor:
- Indoor Display:
Vietnam Military History Museum Hanoi consists of three buildings, each with two floors filled with various war artifacts and documents. Highlights of the indoor sections include:
In the legendary Bach Dang maritime fight against the Mongolian army in 1288, Great General Tran Hung Dao employed wooden wattles.
The Vietnamese army obtained shell mines, infrared optics, phones, and butterfly bombs made by the US and deployed by France in the Indochina War following the Dien Bien Phu Battle in 1954.
Vietnam used guns throughout the resistance fight against the Americans from 1954 to 1975. The Soviet Union assaulted the Saigon Presidential Palace (now Independence Palace) on April 30, 1975, using T54B tank number 843.
A bronze figure of a soldier sculpted by artist Tran Dinh Hoe in 1960 and placed alongside relics linked to the resistance fight against French colonialists.
- Outdoor Display:
The outdoor area, located at the base of the Hanoi Flag Tower, is home to airplanes, tanks, artillery, landmines, and other items. This region is notable for the wreckage of aircraft shot down by the Vietnamese army, particularly the tail of an American F-111A that landed squarely on the earth.
The outdoor display also features several types of bombs deployed by the United States, as well as Vietnamese artillery weapons that shot down American B-52 heavy bombers. Nguyen Dynasty cannons from the nineteenth century were unearthed in the region surrounding Thang Long Citadel in 2003.
Vietnam Military History Museum is one of Hanoi's most popular tourist sites, and you should not miss it. You may learn more about Vietnamese history here by viewing valuable papers and a significant collection of weaponry used throughout the country's lengthy history. This intriguing website promises to be well worth your time.
How to get to the Vietnam Military History Museum:
There are several methods to travel to the museum, including taxi, motorcycle, and public transportation.
Many bus lines in Hanoi pass near the museum, including bus numbers 9A, 18, 32, and 41.
The bus is regarded as the most cost-effective mode of transportation for individuals living distant from the city center. You may also rent a bike from your hotel or other rental companies to get about independently. Please keep in mind that you should inquire about the pricing and thoroughly inspect the vehicle before purchasing.
Tips for visiting the Vietnam Military History Museum:
- Move as told by the museum staff and make room for the elderly and crippled.
- Do not bring any form of weapons, explosives, flammable and hazardous chemicals, or pollutants inside the museum.
- Leave personal baggage, suitcases, rucksacks, briefcases, and purses at the left luggage office (excluding money and jewelry).
- Please do not trash, eat, or smoke in the exhibition area.
- Don't touch the displays or equipment.
- Contact the museum personnel to discover the approved locations for filming and photographing.
Today, the Vietnam Military History Museum welcomes all visitors, many of them from France and the United States, to learn the secrets of the historic triumph. It has currently had over 17 million visits, including over 2,141,000 foreigners from 150 countries across the world.
After spending time here, you will discover that the museum is a concentrated expression of the Vietnamese people's spirit, as expressed by President Ho Chi Minh in the historic Nation's Independence Proclamation: "Nothing is more precious than Independence and Freedom".
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