Hoa Lo Prison in Hanoi is known as Hanoi Hilton. It is a former French colonist run prison in the centre of Hanoi in Vietnam. It was first used for political prisoners mainly Vietnamese. And then was used for US prisoners of war during the Vietnam War. Hoa Lo Prison was opened in 1896 and was demolished and closed as a prison in the 1990s. The gatehouse remains as a museum for tourists and locals to educate themselves with.
I apologise in advance on the picture quality and the amount of photos. I didn’t want to take too many photos with my camera in case it was insensitive.
HOA LO PRISON IN HANOI // LEARNING THE HORRORS OF THE VIETNAMESE PRISON
The first photo shows what conditions would have been like for the male prisoners in Hao Lo Prison in Hanoi. They would be chained with their feet together sat next to each other with no space to move around. The second photo shows the number of deaths for prisoners during a one year period. The highest number of deaths was for Persistent Fever with 17 deaths, then Flu with 15 deaths. The next biggest killer was Cholera with 10 deaths. The majority of the deaths happened in the nearby hospital but a few deaths actually happened in the prison. These were Cerebral Hemorrhage and Paralysed Neck.
Make sure you read this article to find out lots of history about this prison!
Visiting Hoa Lo Prison in Hanoi was a great history lesson. It was great to learn what life was like back then during the french colonist ruling of Vietnam. Whilst learning about how the Vietnamese were being treated in this prison, we also learn how the American soldiers who were bombing Vietnam were being treated – quite royalty like if I must add. The Americans even resorted to calling the prison The Hanoi Hilton which is how it got it’s nickname.
Despite the American soldiers bombing Vietnam they were treated really well, even though it didn’t start off that way. The most famous American soldier to be held prisoner in Hoa Lo Prison was John McCain. He was a US Navy pilot, Senator and 2008 Republican presidential nominee. He had spent parts of his five and a half years as a POW there.
In the span of 1 year, there was over 87 deaths in Hanoi Hilton. The highest number of deaths was for Persistent Fever with 17 deaths, then Flu with 15 deaths. The next biggest killer was Cholera with 10 deaths.
The Hanoi Hilton was one site used by the North Vietnamese Army to house, torture and interrogate captured servicemen. This was mostly American pilots shot down during bombing raids. Although North Vietnam was a signatory of the Third Geneva Convention of 1949, which demanded “decent and humane treatment” of prisoners of war, severe torture methods were employed, such as rope bindings, irons, beatings, and prolonged solitary confinement. When prisoners of war began to be released from this and other North Vietnamese prisons during the Johnson administration, their testimonies revealed widespread and systematic abuse of prisoners of war.
Beginning in late 1969, treatment of the prisoners at Hỏa Lò and other camps became less severe and a little tolerable. Following the late 1970 attempted rescue operation at Sơn Tây prison camp, most of the POWs at the outlying camps were moved to Hỏa Lò, so that the North Vietnamese had fewer camps to protect. This created the “Camp Unity” communal living area at Hỏa Lò, which greatly reduced the isolation of the POWs and improved their morale.
PLEASE SHARE THIS POST AND GIVE IT SOME LOVE !!
Are you planning on visiting Hanoi? Leave me comments below if you want any tips.
Happy travels,
If you enjoyed this post, I’d love you to SHARE it for me!
CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE to my monthly newsletter for exclusive travel tips and a behind the scenes insight into my travels. And also a freebie upon signing up!
Check out the AirBnBs I’ve stayed at on my AIRBNB FINDS page for inspiration when booking your next trip.
Make sure you check out my TRAVEL RESOURCES for the best deals, booking websites and promo codes to save you money, and my SHOP to browse all of my favourite cameras, tech and travel accessories.
This is thrilling but also very interesting. Thanks for sharing!
Isobel x
New post: http://www.fashionistachic.co.uk/2019/03/travel-guide-to-city-break-to-krakow.html?m=1
Insta: https://www.instagram.com/isobelceline/
New video: https://youtu.be/GrOdKnt3Ihg
It’s so emotional and very interesting to learn about another countries history! You’re welcome x
Wow, that’s pretty incredible and awful all at once! It’s good to have history lessons like this just to remind humanity of the mistakes we make against one another.
Thanks for the history lesson!
Amy
“Writing into the Ether“
It’s so horrible learning about what other countries have gone through but at the same time it’s nice to learn about the countries history and then you understand the country and it’s people more from what they’ve gone through. You’re welcome x
I was suddenly reminded of the BBC drama series ‘Tenko’ that was shown irom 1981 to 1985 (yes, I am THAT old lol). It was about a POW womens camp who were captured after the Fall of Singapore in February 1942, after the Japanese invasion, and held in a fictional Japanese internment camp on a Japanese-occupied island between Singapore and Australia.
I digress, I find things like this really interesting and just can’t imagine what it must have been like.
Thank you for sharing! 😀
Sarah ???? || Boxnip
Oooh that sounds interesting, I will have to take a look into that. I love learning about history! It’s so horrible how their own people treated the prisoners against their will as they were being controlled by the colonists more or less. You’re welcome x