The dark history of Vietnam’s notorious prison
Hỏa Lò Prison was one of the most notorious prisons that held many Americans in the Vietnam War. Read on to uncover its shocking history.
Image: Hỏa Lò Prison is now a museum | stock.adobe.com
When it comes to famous prisons in history, they don’t get much more notorious than Hỏa Lò Prison.
Built in Hanoi - the capital city of Vietnam - Hỏa Lò Prison is best known for housing American prisoners of war during the turbulent era of the Vietnam War.
From its nickname of the 'Hanoi Hilton' to its reopening as a museum, Hỏa Lò Prison has a complex and deeply intriguing story.
Join us here at Sky HISTORY as we dive deeper into the history of Hỏa Lò Prison to discover why it has become such an infamous piece of Vietnam War history.
The beginning of Hỏa Lò Prison
Hỏa Lò Prison was first built in Hanoi by French colonists. The exact date that the prison was built differs from source to source. However, the main consensus is that it was built between 1886 and 1901. The name of the prison has a few different translations, though the common translations are 'Hell’s Hole' and 'Fiery furnace'.
Vietnam was still part of French Indochina when Hỏa Lò was created. In French it was known as 'Maison Central', which translates to 'Central House'.
When it was built, the prison was only meant to hold around 450 prisoners, which would increase significantly over its lifetime. By 1954, the prison had more than 2,000 inmates.
During the prison's French colonial period, the purpose was to hold Vietnamese political prisoners. These prisoners were exposed to awful conditions and tortured. They experienced severe beatings and were shackled to the floor before eventually being executed. The guillotine often used to execute prisoners is still on display today.
The prison acted as a symbol of the oppression of Vietnam and its people by France. In 1954, the French were overthrown in Vietnam after their defeat in the Battle of Dien Bien Phu. The French left Hanoi and the Democratic Republic of Vietnam officially took control of the prison.
The Vietnam War
When the Vietnam War broke out in 1955, Hỏa Lò Prison was repurposed to hold American prisoners of war. The prison housed POWs from around 1964 to 1972. It was mostly used to contain American airmen.
The conditions were just as horrific as they were when the prison was under French control. Prisoners were abused physically and psychologically. They were beaten, starved, and tortured.
Prisoners were also often forced to remain in solitary confinement and shackled to their beds. The abuse and torture dealt out was so severe that it violated the Geneva Conventions.
The Americans had a sardonic sense of humour about the prison, nicknaming it the 'Hanoi Hilton' after the famous American hotel chain.
Famous prisoners
Several well-known prisoners were locked up in Hỏa Lò Prison during the Vietnam War. Here are just a few:
- Everett Alvarez Jr: The first American prisoner of war to be confined to Hỏa Lò. Alvarez Jr was an inmate for eight years, making him the second longest-held captive.
- John McCain: A former US Navy pilot and senator, McCain was the Republican presidential nominee in the 2008 American election.
- James Robinson Risner: A USAF fighter pilot imprisoned in Hỏa Lò from 1965 to 1973. He was the senior-ranking prisoner, and his duties included keeping a structured chain of command with his fellow prisoners.
- James Stockdale: A US Navy pilot who went on to receive the Medal of Honor, the highest decoration in the United States military. Stockdale was also a candidate for vice president of the Independent party in the 1992 American presidential campaign.
Hỏa Lò Prison now
Hỏa Lò prison became more lenient to its prisoners in 1969, before being decommissioned entirely in the 1990s. The building was demolished, but the gatehouse for the prison was transformed into a museum.
The displays within the museum include original equipment used in the French colonial era, as well as the rooms where Vietnamese prisoners would stay. John McCain’s parachute and flight suit is also on display.
The Hỏa Lò Prison started life as a symbol of the oppressed Vietnamese people during the French colonial period. However, it soon evolved into an even more infamous structure thanks to the capture and containment of many Americans during the Vietnam War.
The museum built into the prison's gatehouse remains as a reminder of the atrocities committed there. However, it also acts as a testament to the strength and perseverance of the human spirit, even in the face of brutal torture.
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