"The B-52 Memorial" Hanoi Things to Do Tip by Ewingjr98

At the B-52 Memorial, the remains of an American B-52 bomber rest in still, green Huu Tiep Lake surrounded by the nice houses of Ngoc Ha village. Near one corner of the pond you can read the plaque concerning "the American aggressors" and the history of the Christmas Offensive of December 1972. This monument, preserved in memory of the Vietnamese who died in the attacks, is a peaceful, quiet area with few tourists. In my opinion, this is the most impressive monument in Hanoi.

History shows that this B-52 was involved in Operation LINEBACKER II, a devastating two-week all-out assault on Hanoi's military, industrial, and command structures. This air campaign took place following a lull in negotiations at the Paris peace talks that were designed to end the war. When the North Vietnamese government ceased negotiations and its army suddenly attacked southward, the US responded with the largest series of air attacks in the entire war. LINEBACKER II lasted from December 18th to December 29th 1972, and it involved some 700 B-52 attacks on the industrial and logistical areas of Hanoi and Haiphong. In total 15 American B-52s were brought down by North Vietnamese surface-to-air missiles (SAMs), while the entire North Vietnamese rail network was decimated and their entire SAM system unable to operate due to lack of ammunition. At the end of this operation, North Vietnam was forced to continue negotiations, and the final cease fire agreement was signed just three weeks later. Despite the massive destruction, only 1,623 civilians were killed in LINEBACKER II, according to official North Vietnamese reports.

Directions: Huu Tiep Lake on the west side of the Presidential Palace