December 2007
the persistence of media
Vietnam has some spectacular beaches. One of the most famous is in Đà Nẵng. In the case of that city, the downtown does not run right up to the beach like in Quy Nhơn or Nha Trang, but it is still part of the city proper. The beaches of Vietnam were one of the biggest surprises of Brian and my travels there. People think of Thailand, Philippines, or Indonesia for beach getaways, not Vietnam. However, it had some of the best beaches we had seen in all of Southeast Asia.
Why this particular beach? (Đà Nẵng is blessed with several) This was the historical Mỹ Khê beach (China Beach) where American forces first landed in Vietnam to start the "American War" as the Vietnamese call it
Non Nuoc Beach is a white sandy beach on the outskirts of Đà Nẵng that is renowned for its history as an R&R destination for American troops during the Vietnam War. Today, the beach, along with Mỹ Khê beach to the north, are home to expensive resorts, surfing, and entertainment facilities.
(Wikipedia)
It was on this unremarkable stretch of Nam O Beach where, at 9.03am on 8 March 1965, 3,500 US marines disembarked from their landing crafts and waded on to Vietnam’s shores, becoming the first American ground troops to arrive in the country.
At the time, the US-backed government in South Vietnam was suffering from power struggles among its leadership and troops were deserting its army. Communist forces from North Vietnam were taking advantage, advancing down the Ho Chi Minh trail and gaining control in the countryside. Viet Cong guerrillas had attacked a US compound in the Central Highlands in February. Now, they were approaching Da Nang. General William Westmoreland requested two battalions of US marines to provide support, and at this crucial turning point, President Lyndon B Johnson agreed.
However, we were not visiting this beach because of its infamous historical import. There was only one reason to visit:
China Beach was an American war drama television series set at an evacuation hospital during the Vietnam War. The title refers to My Khe beach in the city of Đà Nẵng, Vietnam, nicknamed "China Beach" in English by American and Australian soldiers during the Vietnam War. The series originally ran on ABC for four seasons from April 27, 1988 to July 22, 1991.
Set at the fictitious 510th Evacuation Hospital and R&R facility (the "Five-and-Dime"), the series' cast of characters includes US Army doctors and nurses, officers, soldiers, Red Cross volunteers and civilian personnel (American, French, and Vietnamese). The series also features the experiences of the characters when they return to the United States, either on leave or at the end of their tours of duty. The show does not shy away from showing the brutality of war; it provides a gritty view of the experience and its aftermath.
(Wikipedia)
Even ten years after the series, it was still in popular memory and my friend at the time, Kelle H. was quite desperate for me to take a photo of the place sporting a cap from the Corcoran Group (the realtor she was working for at the time). That photo has disappeared, but not the photos of the gorgeous beach. China Beach was just one example of several fantastic urban beaches we visited in Vietnam. How its beaches still remain under the radar astounds me - they are literally some of the best I have visited in the world AND they are easily accessible with a lot of very inexpensive tourist infrastructure on site. Their day must be coming soon.
Meanwhile, as I reflect on my travels, I am constantly reminded how many destinations and detours for me were about visiting TV and film sets (both real and imaginary locations). I ponder if it that is a sad commentary on overwhelming media influence in my life or simply a testament to my wanting to gain more knowledge about places made known to me through entertainment?