Hanoi Opened Secret Bunker Under Ancient Citadel To Welcome Tourists

HANOI, Viet Nam - Dec. 2, 2013 - PRLog -- Imperial Citadel of Thang Long’s bunker was solidly constructed that can resist the destructive power of the bomb attack and nuclear bomb. Steel door also can resist the pressure of unclear bomb and radiation.

The morning of 20/12, in the occasion of the 40-year anniversary of Hanoi, Dien Bien Phu victory over American bombing. Thang Long preserve the heritage center opened the bunker’s hatch under commander combat building on the Citadel campus of Thang Long. According to the Center Director Nguyen Van Son, the agency has been repaired, renovated and collected many artifacts and materials to display for people come to visit after many years have been closed.

Bunker was built in the early days of the U.S. war effort to destroy the north end of Vietnam from 1964; it was designed and constructed by the 259 th engineers Regiment. Basement of 64 m 2, the wall has casted three layer concrete. Sand layer in between is half a meter thick, that help against the destructive power of the bomb attack, missiles, unclear bombs and chemical weapons.  Tunnel air conditioning system by steam and ventilation, filtering, anti-noise and magnetic

Basement has three rooms, the largest duty of 34 m2. This is a place constancy working of combat duty team and It run by the Operations Department, General Staff in charge, responsibility is directly reply to President Ho Chi Minh when he called to ask; monitoring entire Northern battlefield as well as the Indochina war; propose to the General commander the combatting  plans action.

Two rooms was placed equipment, motor engine large of 10 m2, near the basement door in the south and tactical planning room large of 20 m2, near eastern basement door.  Currently in the basement also preserved a lot of artifacts, such as: the General Commander’s table, the large format map to oriented enemy aircraft, the phone call, and the phone connected to the Presidential Palace and the announcement board of enemy aircraft’s information

Being real life witness at that time, Major General Nguyen Van Minh, former Deputy Director of Operations, the General Staff, as he has worked here for over 10 years. During that time the tunnel was a main key of corporate headquarters including basement D67 is the work of General Vo Nguyen Giap. When fighting taken place, the entire military leadership as well as the Political bureau all together down the tunnel for meeting and provide direct combatting action.

He has said, in those first days B52 bombing, warfare commanders bunker constantly hold meetings. In the morning of 19.12.1972, Secretary of the Party Central Committee Le Duan has directly operated the meeting with Chief of General Staff, General Van Tien Dung decided for Hanoi sky battle

."Open warfare tunnel will help people understand how was stunning way against the U.S. military, especially the time of fighting again with B52 airplane of American. This attraction will be included in Hanoi city tours's cluster, can find in following in below here

http://www.asiatourismholiday.com/92_hanoi-city-and-surroundings-tour_54_49_30.html

Vu Thi Thu Ha use to  the target map recounts, tunnel warfare are always shuted but have good ventilation in summer in cooler basement under the ground. Basement always have three people together on duty, whenever there's a new movement, the leadership down cellar meetings and steering direction.

When she was 18 years old, visual daily listening encrypted signal on the enemy aircraft operating on the battlefield and wrote and reported to leaders knew what was the facts and situation. In this tunnel, she also received an order for Hanoi alarm to prevent people and army bombers and fight the enemy raids.

“was not at the scene, but I still imagine carpet B52 in Kham Thien or battle enemy aircraft returned fire," Ms Ha said.

At the opening day, Katherine Muller Marin, UNESCO Representative Office in Hanoi, she said when down the combat commander bunker, she felt that a historical period, re-period brave fighting and the victory of Vietnam people army. Basement is also preserved in the right direction of the UNESCO heritage conservation, in upcoming time this would be interesting address for holding Hanoi tours or could be included Vietnam tours itinerary for most Vietnam travel agency, this place will be a crucial part to learn about resistance war