Moving stories related to the Hien Luong Bridge which crosses the Ben Hai River in Vinh Linh District, the central province of Quang Tri during the resistance war against the US for national salvation will be everlastingly talked about by generations of Vietnamese. 

The Geneva Convention signed in 1954 divided Vietnam into the two regions of the North and the South  with parallel 17, where the Ben Hai River crosses over, being a temporary boundary line . Many believed that it was only a temporary separation that would last about two years and end after the national election to reunify the country. However, in reality it lasted up to 21 years until the South was liberated and the nation was totally reunified in 1975.

During those interminable 21 years, the Hien Luong Bridge existed as a witness of suffering for those who lived in expectation. The thin line of white paint in the middle of the bridge became the boundary line separating the country into two regions of the North and the South and driving far away the dream of family reunion of hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese on the two sides of the line, keeping wives waiting for their husbands, children waiting for their fathers and siblings waiting for each other. Therefore, the bridge has been known internationally as a symbol of the thirst for peace, national reunification and family reunion of the Vietnamese people.

Today, the Hien Luong Bridge and the historical relic complex on the two banks of the river has become a special national relic, an unforgettable place for Vietnamese when recalling the terrible war in the past and a “must see” destination on the journey to the North and to the South.

A panoramic view on the Hien Luong Bridge, the Ben Hai River and the temporary military boundary line area on the two sides of the Ben Hai River.

Today, more visitors come to the special national relic of “The two banks of the Hien Luong-Ben Hai”, Vinh Linh armed public security force’s post, a sentry post, a party of speakers and a complex of statues of “Desire for Reunification” and many other construction works.

During the “sound war”, the two sides strived to use different speakers of high capacity to spew propaganda. This is one of the giant speakers with a diameter of 1.7m, a capacity of 500W and its sounds echo as far as ten kilometers. It was used by the army of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam.

The party of speakers used for propagandizing at the northern side of the Ben Hai River.

The image of Vinh Linh people stitching up the national flag to hang on the boundary flag pole.

The flag pole on the northern side of the Ben Hai River, one of the targets which was continuously destroyed by the army of the Saigon authority and the US.

At one head of the bridge is the Vinh Linh public security’s post.

On the northern side of the Hien Luong Bridge existed a great welcoming gate with the words “Bravo Vietnam of Peace and Reunification – Independence, Democracy and Prosperity” on one side reflecting the Vietnamese’s desire for national reunification and “Bravo President Ho Chi Minh” on the other side.

Under the Hien Luong Bridge is the Ben Hai River, parallel 17 and the boundary line separating the North and the South of the country for 21 years.

An alarm is placed at the peak of the sentry post of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam’s army on the southern side of the boundary line.

The southern side of the bridge was painted yellow and in the distance is a post and control areas of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam’s army.

For many Vietnamese, the Hien Luong Bridge was closely attached to their sufferings caused by the national separation during the resistance war against the US.

The line of white paint in the middle of the bridge separates the country into the North and the South.

The section in the middle of the Hien Luong Bridge which marked the demarcation line between the North and the South of Vietnam.

The Hien Luong Bridge crosses over the Ben Hai River with the colours yellow and green, dividing the country into two regions of the North and the South (green on the northern bank and yellow on the southern bank).