Although not as provocative as its Ho Chi Minh City counterpart, the army museum is nonetheless an intriguing example of Vietnam's continuing dedication to publicizing its military history. At the southern edge of what was once the Thang Long citadel, which housed the imperial city, the museum buildings were once used as French military barracks. The courtyard of the museum once held Chinese- and Soviet-made weaponry—including MiG fighters, antiaircraft guns, a B-52 wreckage, and what is said to be the tank that smashed through the gates of the Presidential Palace in Saigon on April 30, 1975. However, at the time of this update in 2024, some of this military detritus was being moved in preparation of the opening of a much larger museum on the city periphery. Other displays include depictions of the Trung sisters' revolt against Chinese overlords in AD 40, sound-and-light shows highlighting battles and troop movements during the wars against the French and Americans, bicycles known as steel horses that were used on the Ho Chi Minh Trail, captured French and American firearms and uniforms, field maps and tables of major attacks, and the dreaded pungi sticks. It's important to check the status of this museum online before visiting, as it may have already moved.
Adjacent to the museum is the Hanoi Flag Pillar, a 100-foot tapered hexagonal guard tower atop a three-tier square base. Built in 1812, the pillar escaped destruction by the French when they leveled much of the citadel; instead they used the tower as an observation and communication station—much like the Vietnamese military before them. The intricate fan- and flower-shape holes allow light into the tower, which has a crisp red-and-yellow Vietnamese flag fluttering from its flagpole.
