Fodor's Expert Review Con Thien Firebase

Can cu Con Tien was known as the Hill of Angels, or "Meat Grinder" to the United States Marine Corps stationed here during the fierce fighting and artillery strikes of 1967–1968. Con Thien Firebase was the northwest anchor of the famed (and failed) McNamara Line, where over 500 million landmines and 20,000 listening devices were dropped along the south Vietnam border by the U.S., in an attempt to detect and prevent incursions by the North Vietnam army across the DMZ. Nothing much remains (it’s now a peaceful rubber plantation) except some big circular duck ponds to represent the thousands of troops from both sides who lost their lives here, but the hauntingly beautiful location and the expansive views from the top make it a worthwhile stop on a tour of the DMZ.