Hanoi Military History Tour – Half-Day Experience

Vietnam is often remembered as a country of war — and with good reason. Our history is marked by heroic victories and an unbreakable spirit in the face of invaders. This Half-Day Military History Tour is crafted for those who want to explore Vietnam’s proud military legacy, highlighting key battles, strategic brilliance, and the resilience of our people and leaders throughout centuries of defense and survival.

Pick up at your hotel, start your tour first visit the  B-52 Victory Museum, displaying relics of the B-52 Stratofortress, an aircraft that played a major role in the American war. On the way back, you also see a small lake called Huu Tiep Lake in Ba Dinh District holds the wreckage of a U.S. B-52 bomber shot down during the 1972 air raids, known as “Dien Bien Phu in the Air.” This quiet site, surrounded by local homes, offers a powerful glimpse into Hanoi’s wartime past and lasting resilience.

Continue moving to the John Sidney McCain Memorial, which is located by Trúc Bạch Lake. The John Sidney McCain Memorial marks the site where U.S. Navy pilot Senator John McCain was shot down during a 1967 bombing mission over Hanoi. Captured and held at Hoa Lo Prison for over five years, McCain later became a symbol of reconciliation. The monument, with inscriptions in both Vietnamese and English, offers a poignant stop for those interested in war history and personal stories of resilience.

Next visit to Hoa Lo Prison, built and used by French rulers in Vietnam for political prisoners, and then by the government of North Vietnam for war prisoners. This building is also known by the name of “Hanoi Hilton” and hosted” some American prisoners, such as Senator John McCain and Pete Peterson, the United States’ first post-war ambassador to Vietnam in 1997.

Last on your journey to the Long Bien Bridge (originally named Doumer Bridge), built in 1902 by Sir Gustave Eiffel’s company. Take a walking tour of this fascinating structure to learn more about its wartime role.

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