Battle

This photo was taken in 2009 in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Hoa Lo Prison Memorial Garden

This photo was taken in 2009 at Hoa Lo Prison in Hanoi, Vietnam. Hoa Lo Prison was used by the French to house Vietnamese revolutionaries and later gained infamy in America as the prison that American POWs sarcastically referred to as the "Hanoi Hilton." The memorial garden is a tribute to all of the Vietnamese who died at the hands of their French captors. The French were exceptionally brutal, keeping Vietnamese prisoners chained to a large, flat table by their ankles then torturing them and executing them by means of the guillotine. The words on the wall mean, "High Indomitable Patience - Eternal Glory."

Hanoi Propaganda

This photo was taken in Hanoi, Vietnam in 2009. The mural is propaganda for the Communist Party of Vietnam, hence the sickle and hammer logo in the top right. Under the mural, the words translate to, "Determination to successfully implement the resolution of the Party." In Vietnam, it is not uncommon to see Communist propaganda on walls near schools, police stations, and public meeting places. Sometimes, the murals feature various workers or students crowded around a teaching Ho Chi Minh.

Ngoc Son Temple

This photo was taken in 2009 at the entrance to Ngoc Son Temple on the northern side of Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi, Vietnam. Ngoc Son means 'Jade Mountain' in Vietnamese and was built as a dedication to Tran Hung Dao, a Vietnamese military commander who defeated Kublai Khan's Mongol army twice in the 1280's. The victories over the mighty Khan are considered by military scholars to be one of the greatest military feats in history. To this day, Tran Hung Dao is revered by Vietnamese and has several shrines and temples erected in his honor.