Lao War Memorial—Phonsavan City, Laos - Buddhist Temples and Public Shrines on Waymarking.com

The Vietnam War, known by various names and divided into various component operations by the different parties to the war, consumed a three decade long period following World War Two. On one side, the people of what the French considered to be French Indochina, who desired political independence and their right to political and economic self-determination, while the western world, led by the United States, feared that the independence of these three third world countries would pose a threat to global security.

The War had a devastating effect on the three south east Asian countries. Laos became the most heavily bombed country on the earth, and lost up to 200,000 citizens, while its economic infrastructure was destroyed.

In memory of this conflict in 1998 the Lao people have constructed this Laos Buddhist styled stupa monument on a hill, on the eastern edge of the provincial capital of the Xiengkhouang Province, the city of Phonsavan. On the monument is the epithet ‘The nation remembers your sacrifice’. A granite plaque lists the names of all the soldiers lost from the province.

The monument is enclosed in a fenced off area, that was locked when I visited (August 2012).

The monument is on a rise from which a view of the city can be obtained. Also, the joint Vietnamese and Laos Vietnam War memorial is 1km to the south.

Open to visitors?: Yes Photography Permitted Inside?: Yes Statue of the Buddha present?: Not listed Related Website: Not listed

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Photos of the shrine are strongly encouraged when permitted otherwise please refrain from taking pictures inside and in any case, generally have respect for the religious nature of the site.

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