Hoa Lo Prison Museum - Hanoi Hilton

This museum was no hotel. Looking back in time is always interesting. The original site of the famous "Hanoi Hilton" Hoa Lo Prison is where Vietnamese and American prisoners were held.

Towards the end of the 19th century, in an effort to contain the growth and development of popular abti-colonial movements amongst the Vietnamese community, the French government of Indochina reinforced its apparatus of suppression by strengthening the police force, developing the court system and constructing an extensive network of prisons. Opened in 1896, Hoa Lo was the largest of the French prisons in the north of Vietnam, others built at Cao Bang, Son La, Lai chau and Hai Pong. Built on the site of what is believed to have been a former craft village, Hoa Lo Prison quickly became a place where thousands of patriots and revolutionary fighters were imprisoned and tortured, both physically and spiritually. Many Vietnamese sacrificed their lives here to secure the independence and freedom of the nation.

Following the liberation of the north in October 1954, Hoa Lo became a state prison and henceforth used to detain criminal offenders. From the 5th August, 1964 until 31 March, 1973 it was also used to detain American pilots whose aircraft had been shot down over Hanoi whilst bombing or attacking the north Vietnamese people. The Americans prisoners gave Hoa Lo the nick name "Hanoi Hilton".

We hear a lot about the American feeling on the war between Vietnam and it is interesting to see the other side to the conflict of the years gone by. In the small section on the American prisoners you see a number of photos of the American being held and some of their items that they had while detained here. In many of the photos you can see the men smiling which makes you think was it a reaction to having a photo taken or where they told to smile at the time by the prison guards?

One location, different reasons to hold people, only a small part of the original prison is left standing due to new buildings taking up the land. This museum, even small gives you a look into what life was like within the walls.

Picture: How the original Hoa Lo Prison looked before parts where torn down for land development

Picture: How the Vietnamese prisoners where held

Picture: One of two guillotines that the French colonialist used to cut the heads off from the revolutionary patriotic soldiers

Picture: A part of the prison

Picture: The apartment block Hanoi Towers over shadows the museum

Picture: A bed of one of the American prisoners

Picture: Some electrical wiring in the prison