Discover the captivating battlefield stories of yesteryear at these destinations around the world
By Pamela Chow
Photo: Everett Historical / Shutterstock.com
The world is a beautiful place, but it’s not without its grim pasts.
We take a look at some of the most significant war sites around the world, and remember their stories, heroic battles and explore why you should visit them.
Vietnam: Khe Sanh
An US Army chinook helicopter on display at the Khe Sanh Combat Base today. (Photo: Shutterstock)
The USA combat base in Khe Sanh was the site of a gruesome and famous battle in the Vietnam War. About 10,000 North Vietnamese soldiers, 500 Americans and uncounted civilians died here in 1968 at the mercy of 1,000kg bombs, napalm, mortars and endless artillery rounds.
Following a small-scale assault on the base in January 1968, its troops began bracing for a full-scale attack. US aircraft rained explosives in the area to flush out the ‘hidden’ enemy, and Khe Sanh received global media attention.
But the predicted strike from the North Vietnamese Army never came. It has since been theorised that the siege was an enormous diversion to draw reinforcements away from population centres.
Today, Khe Sanh is eerily silent. It is occupied by a small museum housing old photographs, reconstructed bunkers and American aircraft. Vendors at the entrance sell high-grade local Arabica coffee beans. Khe Sanh is located 3km from the small town of Huong Hoa.
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