The northern section comprises the major node of Hanoi and the secondary one of Dien Bien Phu with several war-related attractions to be found on the route south to Hue, passing as it does through the old North-South Vietnam border and Demilitarized Zone. Hanoi plays a wider role as the capital city with an assortment of attractions, as well as a range of services and facilities for tourists. It is also a city principal gateway .Hanoi was the capital of North Vietnam and the Long Bien Bridge, which crosses the Red River, was a strategic target during the American war and was attacked on about 200 occasions by bombers.