Sept. 1, 2019
Thien Mu Pagoda is the biggest pagoda in Hue and one of the city’s most visited sites.
The rich history of Vietnam includes a chapter about National Day and independence from imperialism, part of a longer story that ends with the Vietnam War.
Hue, a small city about 2 hours north of Da Nang, was the city of kings, famous for its dynasties, the last of which ended when Bao Dai abdicated his throne on Sept. 2, 1945. That’s why, tomorrow, the country celebrates its National Day.
But Hue remains quite the tourist attraction. You can visit landmarks such as Thien Mu Pagoda, the biggest pagoda in Hue and a symbol of this historic city. Or you can see the tombs of former emperors Minh Mang, Khai Dinh and Tu Duc.
Next year will mark the 75th anniversary of Hue’s fall from power and the north’s declaration of independence.
Led by Ho Chi Minh, the Viet Minh guerrilla forces declared their independence from Bao Dai and the French protectorate known as Annam. But France wasn’t the only country occupying territory in Vietnam. The Japanese, during World War II, also moved into the northern region.
This led to the first of several bloody conflicts. Initially it seemed like the new Democratic Republic of Vietnam would align itself with China in an effort to expel the French and Japanese, but China later withdrew its troops, following a deal with the French for Shanghai. That led to conflict and bloodshed. The Viet Minh then had no choice but to collaborate with French colonial forces to gain independence, but this alliance later collapsed when France stormed Hai Phong and killed more than 6,000 Vietnamese civilians.
Thus began the Indochina War. Eventually the Chinese and Vietnamese combined forces and defeated the French in 1954. Ho Chi Minh then became president — of the north. Saigon remained anticommunist and this later led to the infamous Vietnam War. American forces, behind a faulty strategy, could not help the south to victory. The Communist Party then took control of the entirety of Vietnam.
Saigon was renamed Ho Chi Minh City. But it was Hue that was the birthplace of major changes in leadership. It’s a part of what will be celebrated on this National Day.