Hỏa Lò Prison
Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, has many tourist attractions, one of which is Hoa Lo Prison. Although it is now a facility that many foreigners come to see as a tourist spot, Hoa Lo Prison was originally a prison as its name suggests. So what kind of prison was it?
This prison was originally built in 1896 by French settlers in Indochina. Its purpose is to house political criminals. Later, a large-scale Vietnam War broke out in Vietnam, during which Americans (mainly American pilots) were interned, and after the Vietnam War, it was used to imprison political prisoners of Vietnamese dissidents. I was there.
What exactly is a political crime? A political crime is any act that harms the interests of the state or government. This means that national governments can criminalize any action deemed to be a threat to the survival of the state, both violent and non-violent protests.
As a result of this criminalization, various human and civil rights and freedoms are restricted, and acts that would not normally be considered crimes in themselves may be criminalized.
In other words, France’s decision was correct and Vietnam had to follow France’s wishes. It turns out that Hoa Lo Prison was a place where people who were critical of the ways of the country’s suzerain, France, were confined.
In this prison, many Vietnamese soldiers and many revolutionary activists were held by the French, and the torture by the French was so severe that it was called “Hell Within A Hell.” I can’t even begin to imagine what it must be like for colonized people who don’t meet that judgment to be tortured or executed, with judgments being made by the suzerain as to what is right and wrong.
This prison is located in the heart of Hanoi, and you can see that it was very symbolic at the time. The French called this prison Maison Centrale, and even today in France, prisons housing dangerous or convicts are sometimes called that. This clearly shows how inconvenient the anti-French forces in Vietnam were for the French people.
As mentioned above, this prison was later used to house injured American pilots during the Vietnam War. At the time, the United States, which was supporting the South Vietnamese side, launched a large-scale attack on the North Vietnamese side, including air strikes.
From the North Vietnamese side, America was an enemy country, so American pilots became enemies. By capturing the American pilot and keeping him as a prisoner of war, you can turn the tide of the war in your favor. Hoa Lo Prison will be used as a detention site.
In 1967, the prison was expanded to accommodate American soldiers, and the expanded area came to be known as “Little Vegas.” It is said that the captured American pilots were subjected to prolonged torture, including being tied with ropes and beaten.
Since it is a prison, it is very common for criminals to be housed there. If you commit a serious crime, you will be sent to prison.
However, this Hoa Lo prison is both a crime and a political crime. In the end, whether a political crime is a crime or not is determined by the judgment of those who hold power.
In that sense, Hoa Lo Prison is not just a prison, but a place that makes you think about what kind of historical background there was in the past, and what kind of results it brought about.
There is still a lot of French culture left in Vietnam. French bread is used for banh mi. Many of the architectural styles are French.
It is true that Vietnamese people have a strong memory of the Vietnam War and a strong impression of the United States. There are probably many Vietnamese people who are unaware of the fact that France is actually involved in America’s involvement.
Are the people who had critical thoughts about the French state at the time a minority? Or is it actually the majority who are silent because they are afraid of the state? What is the original meaning of a culture that was formed under the influence of French culture?
It would be a difficult problem to express in one word. However, understanding what happened in the past is learning about culture, and I think it is a very important act.
If your country is colonized by another country, your normal life is at risk, and being critical of that country is considered a crime. Do you feel the same way? There is no right or wrong answer to this. I would be happy if you could let me know your opinions in the comments section. I think this is a good opportunity to learn about the effects that the act of colonization had and continues to have today.
