Day 3 - Cu Chi Tunnels

As Americans, we are taught about the horrific casualties of American GIs by the barbaric hands of the Vietnamese guerrillas during the 'Vietnam War'. But in Vietnam, we were taught about the American military slaughtering innocent Vietnamese farmers/independence fighters in the 'American War.'  Perspective. It goes two ways, but it's still tragic all the way around.

Our second day in the city we had a driver pick us up and drive us about 70 kilometers outside of the city (which because of traffic, still took over 2.5 hours). Our destination was the Cu Chi tunnels, something I'd never heard about prior to researching for our trip. Which is truly unfortunate, because they were ingenious and fascinating. I started off trying to explain their historical significance, and after a few paragraphs, thought it'd be much more succinct if I reprinted Wikipedia's definition instead:

The tunnels of Củ Chi are an immense network of connecting underground tunnels located in the Củ Chi district of Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam, and are part of a much larger network of tunnels that underlie much of the country. The Củ Chi tunnels were the location of several military campaigns during the Vietnam War, and were the Viet Cong's base of operations for the Tết Offensive in 1968.

The tunnels were used by Viet Cong soldiers as hiding spots during combat, as well as serving as communication and supply routes, hospitals, food and weapon caches and living quarters for numerous North Vietnamese fighters. The tunnel systems were of great importance to the Viet Cong in their resistance to American forces, and helped to counter the growing American military effort.

The tunnels of Củ Chi did not go unnoticed by U.S. officials. They recognized the advantages that the Viet Cong held with the tunnels, and accordingly launched several major campaigns to search out and destroy the tunnel system. Among the most important of these were Operation Crimp and Operation Cedar Falls.

Operation Crimp began on January 7, 1966, with B-52 bombers dropping 30-ton loads of high explosive onto the region of Củ Chi, effectively turning the once lush jungle into a pockmarked moonscape. Eight thousand troops from the U.S. 1st Infantry Division, 173rd Airborne Brigade, and the 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment combed the region looking for any clues of PLAF activity.

The operation did not bring about the desired success; for instance, on occasions when troops found a tunnel, they would often underestimate its size. Rarely would anyone be sent in to search the tunnels, as it was so hazardous. The tunnels were often rigged with explosive booby traps or punji stake pits. The two main responses in dealing with a tunnel opening were to flush the entrance with gas, water or hot tar to force the Viet Cong soldiers into the open, or to toss a few grenades down the hole and “crimp” off the opening. This approach proved ineffective due to the design of the tunnels and the strategic use of trap doors and air filtration systems.

^{The tunnel system was, I believe, a few hundred miles long (prior to its decimation by foreign troops). We went to the 75-mile long preserved area at Ben Duoc, which was closer to Saigon, and had areas widened and lit up to accommodate larger (read: chunky) foreign visitors. To get there, we walked a half mile or so into the now re-forested woods from the parking lot area (they were obviously once bare/torched) during the war.}

Artillery that has been kept to demonstrate what was used during the war. Nearby, we also saw a crater from a B-52 bomb used...which looked at least 10-15 feet deep, even though it's decades old and has undoubtedly refilled over the years from natural debris.

The single best depiction of what the tunnel system was like...if you squint, you may be able to see that there were even hidden entrances via waterways that American GIs would never have known about.

The width and height of the tunnels were incredibly narrow, as they needed only to accommodate the slight, athletic frame of the nimble peasants/guerrillas. The tunnels were nearly pitch black, stifling hot (despite being underground), and very claustrophobia-inducing as we hunched over and awkwardly tried to feel our way through them... It didn't help that from time to time, we encountered fruit bats madly flapping their way into us.

Rich barely squeezed in (even I scraped my clothing/skin trying to get in)...so there is very little chance of an American GI, bogged down with a backpack, equipment and weaponry being able to navigate himself down there...particularly in the dark, and without any idea of where he was going.

The widened, stairwell entrance created for visitors who are unable or unwilling to squeeze through the original tunnels.

We also saw how the Vietnamese soldiers were wise enough to create breathing vents (with bamboo poles that they routed through large boulders so that no would be able to suspect where the tunnels were located). They also cleverly routed the smoke from their cooking fires to areas that were not directly above their tunnels, so that they could not be easily detected.

This rock does not advertise that its large hole serves as a breathing vent for the underground tunnels (which could be hundreds of feet away from the rock).

After a 90 min tour of the area (which included viewing original Vietnamese anti-American propaganda and a number of booby traps), we were led to a bamboo 'shower' creatively made for us to wash up at (we were covered in dirt, pebbles and mosquito repellent).

We were fed a very popular meal of the Vietnamese at that time, which was boiled tapioca (it reminded me of breadfruit or a type of potato) that we could dip into a mixture of what I think, was diced peanuts, salt and sugar.

Using old tires to create....

...rubber sandals! I think they were only $3 each?

Since we didn't get home until later that afternoon, we turned in early after a dinner in the 'hood (we were right next to dozens of restaurants, stores and cafes).