The underground military operation bunker where the Vietnamese government worked during the American War in Thang Long Imperial Citadel has been opened to visitors for the first time.

The Thang Long Heritage Conservation Centre opened the bunker and exhibition about the general command headquarters on the occasion of 45th anniversary of victorious air defence of Hanoi during the American bombing raids of Christmas 1972.

The bunker was built in early 1965 by military engineers. They demolished the two-storey command building to disguise and cover the bunker. The bunker has three rooms, covering 64 square metres. The roof is 1.5 metres higher than the ground and has three layers to protect officers against falling bombs and rockets. It was supposed to be a shelter even against nuclear or chemical weapons.

Decisions issued during the 1972 air battle and supply routes for the south were from the site. The first sirens warning of US air force attacks were approved in the bunker.

After 1975, the bunker was largely abandoned until it was renovated in 2012.

Some photos of the bunker:


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Briefing room where officers must review the situation, received and issued commands

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Operations monitoring room was where officers received calls from Ho Chi Minh and reported on the military situation throughout Indochina

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Items used at the bunker


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Transparent strategic map to track enemy planes

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The officers must issue timely warnings for the attacks for people in the city


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Equipment and machines stored in a 10-square-metre room for 10 people


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The Vietnamese government had worked in the bunker in 7,000 days with over 1,000 meetings. This picture showed General Vo Nguyen Giap ( second from right) in a meeting

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The bunker was opened to visitors in 2017

Vietnamnet, Dtinews