Teacher Trekker

Reunification Palace also referred to as Independence Palace was once the home and workplace of the President of South Vietnam during the Vietnam War. The original capital building Norodom Palace was bombed in 1962, and a new building was designed to replace it shortly thereafter. During the war the building served as an administrative and logistical center. Years later during the fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975, a North Vietnamese Army (NVA) tank crashed through the gates of the palace. This event serves as a symbol of the fall of the American backed South Vietnamese government and the reunification of Vietnam under the Communist banner. Today the palace is a major tourist location for both domestic and international visitors. It is also at times used as an active administrative building for meetings and special events.

Outside Reunification Palace

I visited the palace just after it reopened in the afternoon. Based on my experience in HCMC, all government buildings and museums close between the hours of 12:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. for lunch. Shortly after lunch I bought my ticket for 30,000 dong and passed through the gates of this historic site. I believe for 100,000 dong you could have gotten a guide. The outside grounds, like most of the museums in HCMC, has military equipment such as tanks and airplanes. After taking a walk around the exterior of the building, I went inside to begin the self-guided walking tour.

Between the map and the signs inside, it took almost a full day to navigate the self guided tour to satisfaction. In total, there were six floors to explore. Many of the rooms were roped off and could only be viewed from open doors. The rooms were covered with elegant rugs, hand carved furniture and other luxurious ornaments. Clearly these rooms were still in use for government functions. There were also rooms with old war maps that were strategic offices during the war. There were dining rooms, guest quarters, a cinema, a game room and all the amenities necessary to entertain guests. As you reach the top floor, you encounter the helipad that was attacked by NVA airplanes during the fall of Saigon. Once you work your way up to the top floor, it is time to descend to the bunker portion of the palace.

In the basement, you will reach the bunker which served as the logistic center during the raging Vietnam conflict. I found this to be the most interesting part of the palace. There were what began to feel like countless little rooms and cubicles used for radios, coding, messaging, bedrooms, war rooms and every function necessary to communicate and conduct missions while staying safe from enemy bombing. After exploring the bunker complex there is an exhibition room filled with photographs, military related relics and informational text. This is where the level of propaganda really got ratcheted up.

After looking around the room, I proceeded to the film room to watch the documentary video. It was filled with propaganda as it told the story of the war all the way to reunification. I’m not trying to imply or say that the American perspective of the war is any more correct than the Vietnamese perspective. Everyone is entitled to tell their side of the story, but it was obvious to me that some of the facts, most notably statistics, were grossly exaggerated to serve the viewpoint of the current governmental position regarding the history of the conflict. There was also a large portion of opinion and speculation in the video. From an American and/or French perspective, it could be viewed at times as almost offensive, but also comical. This was only a taste of the propaganda that I would see during my time in Vietnam. Overall, I found Reunification Palace to be a necessary stop for any tourist interested in the history of the Vietnam War.