Oh, please, no! Not more delicious tropical fruit!

During the Vietnam War, hundreds of US pilots who were downed in the northern Vietnam area, including Senator John McCain, were detained in Hao Lo Prison, which is located in Hanoi. The prison was originally built by the occupying French to hold political prisoners. The Vietnamese who were imprisoned in Hao Lo were no doubt treated poorly and suffered extensively. Today, portions of the prison remain and are on display as a memorial and museum.

The curators of the prison did a very good job of showing how horrific life in the prison was during French occupation. The food, bathroom facilities, and living spaces were clearly inadequate. Leg braces, a guillotine, and prison uniforms are all on display for visitors to get a better idea of how terribly the prisoners were treated.

The curators were, however, a bit less detailed when it came to the US soldiers housed in the prison. According to Lonely Planet, Southeast Asia on a Shoestring, Senator John McCain is unable to lift his arms above his head due to torture he experienced at Hao Lo, where he tried to commit suicide twice. This aspect of life in Hao Lo was – how should I say it – “overlooked” when the exhibit was being designed. Instead the displays show pictures of happy inmates decorating a Christmas tree, singing songs together, and attending Christmas mass. Brand new-looking clothing, which was “worn” by one of the many US soldiers who “enjoyed” their time in “Hanoi Hilton”, as the prison was known during the war, is on display is several cases. Another case shows a letter which was allegedly sent back to America by one of the inmates tells of the delicious tropical fruits he ate, the songs about his home state that he sang with his friends, and the many other fun things he had been up to.

The account of Hao Lo clearly varies greatly depending on the source. Since obviously neither source is lying or exaggerating, I think we have to assume that the torture that John McCain speaks of must refer to the delicious tropical fruits. Lifting juicy pineapple, papaya, and jackfruit to one’s mouth day after day could permanently hurt the arms. Let that be a lesson to you. Be careful about the amount of delicious tropical fruits you eat, it could permanently scar you.