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Location -

The network of tunnels can be found in the Cu Chi district of Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) in Vietnam.

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Digging the tunnels -

The tunnels date back to the late 1940s and the war of independence from France.

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First Indochina War -

This is when the Viet Minh (Communist forces) began digging the tunnels in South Vietnam.

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Method -

The tunnels under the jungle were dug by hand, so only short distances were completed at first.

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The arrival of American troops -

In the 1960s, the US sent troops in support of the non-Communist regime in South Vietnam. This was when North Vietnamese and Viet Cong (VCs) troops began to expand the network of tunnels.

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The tunnel network grew -

The network of tunnels stretched over 250 kilometers (155 miles), from Saigon to the Cambodian border, approximately.

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Tactics -

American troops were better equipped and had the advantage of aerial attacks, but the North Vietnamese and the VCs had found a way to survive: going underground.

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Underground cities -

The Cu Chi tunnels gained a life of their own and functioned as small villages, with living quarters.

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Underground cities -

Common living areas (i.e. kitchens) and facilities such as hospitals were also operating underground.

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New life -

Even babies were born in the Cu Chi tunnels during the war.

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Air -

Though fresh air was scarce, sophisticated and well-camouflaged ventilation systems allowed troops to stay underground for extended periods of time.

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Life in the tunnels was dangerous -

Food and water supplies were not abundant, plus there were numerous natural threats, including snakes, rodents, scorpions, and spiders, to name a few.

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Life in the tunnels was dangerous -

Disease also spread easily underground, with malaria in particular killing a huge number of soldiers.

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Life in the tunnels was dangerous -

In addition to malaria, intestinal parasites also affected a great part of the People's Liberation Armed Forces.

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Headquarters -

The tunnels became the headquarters for a number of combat operations.

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Guerilla tactics -

Setting up booby-traps was one of the most common ways to gain advantage over enemy forces.

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Guerilla tactics -

Spikes were among the most common types of booby-traps used by the Viet Cong.

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Guerilla tactics -

Other types of sticking booby-traps were used, including clipping armpit booby-traps, which would inflict a lot of damage.

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Guerilla tactics -

Indeed, many other booby-traps were used, as were tripwires that would set off grenades.

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Tunnel rats -

ANZUS troops (Australia, New Zealand, and United States) then began training some of their men to go underground and fight the North Vietnamese and the VCs at their game.

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Tunnel rats -

Tunnel rats, as they were called, spent hours navigating the tunnels underground, mostly in search-and-destroy missions.

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Tunnel rats -

Though tunnel rats didn’t just kill the tunnels' occupants and destroy the tunnels themselves. They also gathered intelligence.

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Black echo -

They used the term "black echo" to describe the experience of being underground.

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Operation Cedar Falls -

Operation Cedar Falls was a search-and-destroy mission targeting the Iron Triangle (a VC stronghold) in January 1967. Phase II of the operation targeted the tunnels.

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Operation Cedar Falls -

Tunnel rats were employed during the battle. They used both demolition tactics as well as acetylene gas to target the VCs.

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Death toll -

It’s estimated that at least 45,000 Vietnamese died defending the Cu Chi tunnels during the Vietnam War.

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Tourist destination -

While some parts of the tunnel network have been destroyed, there are still 121 km (75 miles) left.

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Tourist destination -

The Cu Chi tunnels became a popular tourist destination in Vietnam.

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Tourist destination -

Visitors can experience the tunnels underground and a shooting range above ground.

Sources: (History) (Business Insider)

See also: History's silliest excuses for war

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