Quang Tri is located in the central of Vietnam near the crossways between North and South Vietnam , Laos , and Thailand . From 1954 until the defeat of the Americans in 1975, Ben Hai river marked the division of Vietnam 5km either side of the river was declared a DMZ - a stark contrast to what really took place in this region.
Vinh Moc Tunnel
In June 1965, Vinh Moc was almost entirely destroyed. The people of Vinh Moc started digging an underground network of tunnels and rooms for the village population, comprising 82 families for total of 300 people. The passages are approximately 7m under the surface. Seventeen babies were born in the passages during the war. In the tunels there are small school, hospital...
The 17th Parallel
( Ben Hai River and Hien Luong Bridge )
The Ben Hai River runs for 100km in the Truong Son Mountains to meet the sea at Cua Tung Mouth. The widest part of the river is about 200m and the portion covered by Hien Luong Bridge is approximately 170m wide.
Under the Geneva agreement on Vietnam in 1954, Ben Hai River was selected as a temporary demarcation line separating the country into two parts. The Hien Luong Bridge was divided Viet Nam into 2 parts, each serving as a border gate. Nowadays, the Ben Hai River and Hien Luong Bridge have become historic landmarks and great tourist attractions.
Khe Sanh Combat Base
Khe Sanh is a valley surrounded entirely by rolling mountains and forest. Topographically, Khe Sanh is similar to Dien Bien Phu . It used to be a US Army defense station believed to be unassailable. The entrenched fortifications surrounding Khe Sanh comprise three areas: Ta Con, Lang Vay and Huong Hoa. More than 10,000 army men were stationed at Khe Sanh, not to speak of many other troops of the NVA. A large and long battle was waged here during the American war and the base holds many memories for many US and Vietnamese veterans of the war.
