Last weekend I went with a friend to visit the area where he had grown up. I noticed that his family house was much older than other buildings in the area. I asked why and I heard the following fascinating explanation.
The area where he lived was occupied by the Americans during the war and the Viet Cong were in the adjacent neighborhood so there was fierce fighting in the streets. It was easy to imagine the opposing forces firing on each other in the narrow streets. When the Viet Cong finally overcame the Americans they destroyed all the houses in the neighborhood but spared his family home since his mother had provided the Viet Cong with food. Prior to the war my friend's family had owned 20 hectares all of which was usurped by the victorious north. My friend said he and his father made numerous appeals and a small part of their land was returned including the family home. There is a large new Buddhist temple very close by which was rebuilt after the war. The wartime Buddha of the temple was sent to jail for 10 years for cooperating with the Americans. His replacement reconstructed the present temple. Incidentally, my friend's family is Catholic
Sadly I have no pictures to support this story. I am very photgraphically challenged as my camera is too bulky to take around with me. I think I will have to buy an iphone with its fine built in camera next time I am in the USA.
The area where he lived was occupied by the Americans during the war and the Viet Cong were in the adjacent neighborhood so there was fierce fighting in the streets. It was easy to imagine the opposing forces firing on each other in the narrow streets. When the Viet Cong finally overcame the Americans they destroyed all the houses in the neighborhood but spared his family home since his mother had provided the Viet Cong with food. Prior to the war my friend's family had owned 20 hectares all of which was usurped by the victorious north. My friend said he and his father made numerous appeals and a small part of their land was returned including the family home. There is a large new Buddhist temple very close by which was rebuilt after the war. The wartime Buddha of the temple was sent to jail for 10 years for cooperating with the Americans. His replacement reconstructed the present temple. Incidentally, my friend's family is Catholic
Sadly I have no pictures to support this story. I am very photgraphically challenged as my camera is too bulky to take around with me. I think I will have to buy an iphone with its fine built in camera next time I am in the USA.
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