Bến Tre is the capital city of Bến Tre Province, in the Mekong Delta area of southern Vietnam. The city covers an area of 65.75 km2 and has a population of 143,639 as of 2009.[1] Bến Tre is 85 km southeast of Ho Chi Minh City and is connected to the surrounding provinces by the Rạch Miễu Bridge. Nearly destroyed by Allied bombing, it played a significant role in the Vietnam War. Reports of the assault and resulting civilian casualties called into question the war aims of the United States.