At the Museum of Military History

I had a very memorable experience today sitting next to this elderly gentleman as we watched the battle unfolding in the extraordinary, multi-sensory display at the Museum of Military History - the Battle of Dien Bien Phu I believe it was. As the lights glowed in the mountainous terrain, he was on the edge of his seat - following it all intently, anticipating the next stages of the battle, pointing, filming with his camera and gesturing to his companion, who could have been his grandson. It was very emotionally charged. Afterwards, he gestured to Clive and I that he had been in the battle and we shook hands with him. It was very moving, a powerful instance of memory at work as the past was recalled vividly in the present by this man who participated in what was a crucial moment in the fight for independence from colonialism in Vietnam. Clearly, this history is alive and well in the hearts and minds of the Vietnamese people. The battle took place in 1954, so I am guessing this man could be somewhere around 80. He is part of a generation now passing on. Capturing their voices seems to me to be an important task but I sense that oral history is not necessarily an easy process in Vietnam. Shonel raised this question today and the guide's answer seemed to indicate that the archival process is complex and subject to official sanction. I would like to understand more about how memory is being captured in Vietnam - recording on smartphones is now very easy, I wonder whether any families or communities are informally recording their elders' memories? I have to admit that I am not usually particularly attracted to 'military history', but I found this museum, particularly the handmade weapons, the Cu Chi tunnel diorama and the jungle display, very emotionally engaging. To me, these conveyed the intensity of feeling of the fight for independence and the incredible tenacity of the Vietnamese people.   

Jo Besley