
You can practically taste the salty sea breeze and hear the
occasional wafting of rock music in these photos of Nha Trang from the
late 60s, early 70s.
While Nha Trang may now be seen as a beach
getaway with a coast lined by five-star hotels targetting upscale
tourists, its long history has catered to a multitude of residents and
visitors. As far back as the third century, it was part of the Cham
empire as evidenced by the temple ruins that remain in the region.
When it came under Nguyen dynastic control in the 17th century, it was a sparsely populated wilderness filled with tigers and monkeys. The French connected it to Saigon and Hanoi via railway
and made it an important part of their colonizing efforts through the
establishment of a Pasteur Institute in the city. And for a brief time,
it held military importance during the war with America, during which an
influx of US influence arrived.
These photos taken by members of the American Army's 569th corp. of engineers reveal
how the city looked during the time they were stationed in the area
while also providing a peek into previous eras. Adverts for cowboy
movies, gas station signs written in English, a Cadillac car, trendy
sleeveless shift dresses that rest above the knees, soda pop and a
ping-pong table all reveal the impact of the foreign presence. At the
same time Cham structures, timeless scenes of fishing practices and
colonial architecture often feature in the background.
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