The school that survived the 81-day battle of Quang Tri

During the 81-day battle of 1972 to defend the Quang Tri Citadel, nearly all buildings and infrastructure in Quang Tri town were flattened. Bo De school was a rare exception.

Located on Tran Hung Dao Street in Quang Tri town, Bo De school stands approximately 1 km southwest of the citadel. Built in 1959, the school was funded by the Quang Tri Buddhist Association through donations from Buddhists and local residents during the Bo De rice-saving movement. It served students in the upper secondary level, equivalent to grades 10-12 today.

According to the Quang Tri Citadel Museum, during the 81 days and nights from 28/6 to 16/9/1972, the combined bombing by US and South Vietnamese forces on the citadel and the surrounding 3 km2 town of Quang Tri was equivalent to seven atomic bombs. This included 328,000 tons of bombs, 552,000 rounds of 105 mm artillery shells, and 55,000 rounds of 155 mm shells. US aircraft carried out 1,650 bombing raids, while South Vietnamese aircraft conducted 594.

The citadel and Quang Tri town were almost entirely destroyed. Bo De school was one of the few structures that partially survived. In the photo, the school's name is visible, though only the letter "E" remains from the original signage.

After the war, the two-story frame of Bo De school remained standing, though the roof and railings were destroyed. The school once welcomed thousands of students; in the 1969-1970 academic year alone, there were 1,400 students, many of whom were orphans or from disadvantaged backgrounds.

A classroom wall is riddled with bullet holes. The school stands as a testament to the ferocity of the war against the US in general, and the battle to defend the Quang Tri Citadel in particular.

Six rooms of the school remain, but all have large holes in the walls, offering views of neighboring houses.

The concrete ceiling, pierced by bombs and shells, now provides shelter for birds.

The staircase is mostly gone, leaving only a fragment overgrown with vegetation. During the 81-day battle, Bo De School served as a base for the Viet Cong.

On the first floor of the school, an altar has been placed for locals and visitors to pay their respects to the soldiers who died there. The school is currently undergoing renovations to prevent further deterioration, including landscaping, construction of a new gate and fence, and other auxiliary projects.