Saigon is a big, noisy, hectic city - barely distinguishable from Bangkok, Vientianne or Hanoi. I say for a couple of nights to arrange my bus to Phnom Penh in Cambodia and to visit the near by Cu Chi tunnels.
The 200 kilometers of tunnels were developed in the 1960's when American invaded Vietnam. Communist resistance fighters, the Viet Cong, built the tunnels to use as a base for their guerilla warfare, the site also gave them control of large areas of land just outside of Saigon - a strategically important city and the end of the Ho Chi Minh trail which brought supplies from the north. From here they controlled supplies going in and out of Saigon and ran the resistance, as well as protecting villagers from the invading Americans.
Entrances were well hidden and tiny - several members of my group can't fit more than their legs through. The Viet Vong came out only at night to forage and engage in warefare. Lack of weapons lead them to develop basic bamboo traps - pits filled with spikes and pincer systems. Bullets were precious and the Viet Congmade use of snipers, rather than engage in open attacks. Hidden in their tunnles and familiar jungle, the Americans found it almost impossible to find and fight the Viet Cong.
Living conditions in the tunnels were awful. At any one time 50% of the population (villagers - men women and children - as well as soilders) would have malaria, the second cause of death after battle wounds. There was littlefood, water, light or air and lots of poisonous snake and scorpions. And of course they were cramped. Tourists are allowed to go through small sections which have been made safe, and some widened. I go through the shortest possible section and it is horrible. I have to crawl on my knees, pushing my backpack in front of me. The confined space is made worse by the people in front of me stopping, and the people behind me shouting to keep going. Although I dont go this far, I am told that further on the tunnel opens out into a small room, which could have been an office, armoury, kitchen or living area.
After repeated unsuccessful ground attacks on the tunnel system, the Americans resorted to bombing the site, leaving huge craters and destroying many, but not all tunnels. They also sprayed the defoliant Agent Orange to clear the landscape of the jungle which was vital to the Viet Cong's guerilla warfare. Still the Americans failed to properly infiltrate the tunnels. Understandably most were too afraid to go down them, as the tunnels themselves were also booby trapped. The preferred method of dealing with them was to throw grenades or flood with gas, hot water or tar. However the complex lay out of the tunnels meant that this was not always very effective.
By 1969 the Cu Chi area, an endless source of frustration to the Americans, was so bombed it was almost useless to the Viet Minh. However by this time they had played their part; prolonging the war, increasing costs and casulties to the US and becoming the head quarters for the Tet Offensive in 1968, a major turning point in the war.
The 200 kilometers of tunnels were developed in the 1960's when American invaded Vietnam. Communist resistance fighters, the Viet Cong, built the tunnels to use as a base for their guerilla warfare, the site also gave them control of large areas of land just outside of Saigon - a strategically important city and the end of the Ho Chi Minh trail which brought supplies from the north. From here they controlled supplies going in and out of Saigon and ran the resistance, as well as protecting villagers from the invading Americans.
Entrances were well hidden and tiny - several members of my group can't fit more than their legs through. The Viet Vong came out only at night to forage and engage in warefare. Lack of weapons lead them to develop basic bamboo traps - pits filled with spikes and pincer systems. Bullets were precious and the Viet Congmade use of snipers, rather than engage in open attacks. Hidden in their tunnles and familiar jungle, the Americans found it almost impossible to find and fight the Viet Cong.
Living conditions in the tunnels were awful. At any one time 50% of the population (villagers - men women and children - as well as soilders) would have malaria, the second cause of death after battle wounds. There was littlefood, water, light or air and lots of poisonous snake and scorpions. And of course they were cramped. Tourists are allowed to go through small sections which have been made safe, and some widened. I go through the shortest possible section and it is horrible. I have to crawl on my knees, pushing my backpack in front of me. The confined space is made worse by the people in front of me stopping, and the people behind me shouting to keep going. Although I dont go this far, I am told that further on the tunnel opens out into a small room, which could have been an office, armoury, kitchen or living area.
After repeated unsuccessful ground attacks on the tunnel system, the Americans resorted to bombing the site, leaving huge craters and destroying many, but not all tunnels. They also sprayed the defoliant Agent Orange to clear the landscape of the jungle which was vital to the Viet Cong's guerilla warfare. Still the Americans failed to properly infiltrate the tunnels. Understandably most were too afraid to go down them, as the tunnels themselves were also booby trapped. The preferred method of dealing with them was to throw grenades or flood with gas, hot water or tar. However the complex lay out of the tunnels meant that this was not always very effective.
By 1969 the Cu Chi area, an endless source of frustration to the Americans, was so bombed it was almost useless to the Viet Minh. However by this time they had played their part; prolonging the war, increasing costs and casulties to the US and becoming the head quarters for the Tet Offensive in 1968, a major turning point in the war.
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