History of Hien Luong Bridge
Hien Luong Bridge was built in 1928 by residents of Vinh Linh District. Back then, it was only 2m wide, made of wood with iron poles, and could only accommodate pedestrians.
In 1950, France constructed a concrete bridge 162 meters long and 3.6 meters wide that could withstand a weight of 10 tons for military purposes.
Then again, in May 1952, the French rebuilt a new bridge between Vinh Linh and Gio Linh districts, connecting the two banks of the Ben Hai River. The bridge has 7 spans, a length of 178 meters, reinforced concrete pillars, steel beams, and a pine-paved surface. It is 4m wide and has a 1.2m high wall on both sides.
Hien Luong Bridge – The “historical witnesses”
During the Second Indochina War (1955-1975), Hien Luong Bridge and the Ben Hai River have been the “historical witnesses” of the country’s division into North and South. Following the failure at Dien Bien Phu War, the Geneva Agreement was signed in 1954. According to the agreement, Vietnam was temporarily divided into two regions with the 17th Parallel (where Ben Hai river running through Do Linh and Vinh Linh) as a borderline.
Hien Luong Bridge is divided into two parts, each of which is 89 meters long and painted in a different color. The temporary divide was supposed to last for 2 years and terminate after the unification general election, but it ended up lasting more than 2 decades.
In 1956, Ngo Dinh Diem, President of the Republic of Vietnam, did not hold a unified general election as required by the Geneva Agreement, with US encouragement. From that, Hien Luong Bridge has been a historical relic for more than 20 years carrying the pain of dividing the country.
During the Vietnam War, the authorities utilized loudspeakers on the northern bank to deliver messages and play music for people on the southern bank.
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