The Historical Relics and Cuchi Tunnel Complex is how the Vietnamese describe this tourist attraction. It is more than just seeing the tunnels; this is an education area for visitors. Over two million tourists visit the tunnels each year. I found it to be both an emotion visit, but on the other hand, it gave more an insight into the war I had previously knew little about. Walking in the actual place makes you realise how vast and important this area was.
The incredibly Cu Chi tunnel system is estimated to have stretched over 200kms and with three levels deep underground, stretching from the south Vietnamese capital of Saigon to the Cambodian border. The top level was around 3 metres from the ground, the second 6 metres and the third level was 12 metres underground. They were built in the hard laterite soil, by hand. This compacted red clay was the perfect soil for building the tunnels. Located above the water level of the Saigon River, the soil was dug out with hoes and crowbars. The soil was scattered in the river or spread into bomb craters. This was done at night under cover of darkness, when there was less chance of being seen by the enemy. Imagine doing all this in darkness, with snakes and scorpions in the jungle as well.
The tunnels had many different rooms, nooks, crannies and traps. Home to around 10,000 people at one stage, the rooms were used for command centres, living rooms, kitchens, dining halls, hospitals, accommodation, meetings, weapons factories, storage facilities and fighting.
Some of the tunnels were as small as 80cm wide and 80cm high.
Why build and live in this underground city? During the American Vietnam war in the 1960s it was an excellent way for the Viet Cong to move undetected around the Vietnamese countryside. They went undetected by foreign troops. The Viet Cong had the support of local people and the tunnels were mainly undetected by the Americans and South Vietnamese armies.
They could also disappear underground and be safe from aerial bombardment.
The Viet Cong could pop up from the tunnels through trap doors and surprise attack the enemy. Actual sized trap doors that were covered in leaves are displayed in the area and tourists are shown how the VC were able to keep them hidden. Visitors can even pop into one of these traps and see how small they were.
Tunnel entrances, again of actual size, can be seen in the area.
Located 50kms northwest from the city centre of Ho Chi Minh City, it takes around two hours by bus or car to get there, shorter if you take a boat along the river. Parts of the tunnels have been preserved and there are now two war memorial parks. I visited the Ben Dinh Tunnels. These are popular with foreign tourists as the tunnels have been enlarged by 40%. This is to accommodate the larger sized tourists. The Ben Duoc Tunnels are further from Ho Chi Minh City and favoured more by native tourists.
Upon arrival a map and model of the tunnel system allows visitors to be amazed at the extensive network. Man-made ventilation systems were made with bamboo pipes and disguised as termite mounds. Examples can be seen as you walk around the forest. American soldiers used German Shepherd dogs to sniff out the ventilation shafts. The Vietnamese would then scatter pepper around the mounds in an attempt to put the dogs off their scent.
However, the Viet Cong used minefields, nail pits and spike traps against the Americans. These proved very effective. It is estimated that just over ten percent of deaths and fifteen percent of injuries to soldiers in the war were caused by this type of trap. Examples of these traps can be seen above ground as you walk through the forest.
War artifacts include bombs, artillery, ammunition, military equipment, M48 tank, C-130 transport aircraft, M-113 armoured vehicle, UH-1 helicopter can be seen in the area.
One bunker shows life-sized statues of workers making spikes from old bomb shells, just as they did in the war.
Footwear was made from old truck and car tyres. A specially shaped sandal was made with the sole appearing backwards. As the VC soldier walked forward, the prints left on the ground looked as if he was walking in the opposite direction.
A lady was making rice paper, used for making food rolls, the tradition way. Also on display, was the distilling equipment that was used to make rice wine, banana wine and rice milk.
There is a shooting range located here where visitors can fire an AK, M16, K63, K54 pistol, M60 machine gun or a carbine. The noise of the shots echoed out over the jungle and felt quite disturbing to me, considering the history of the area. It was sobering to know that these awful sounds would have been magnified many times during the war. The hairs on my skin actually prickled whenever I heard the sad sound of a shot echoing through the jungle.
In contrast, the heavily bombed area has been reforested since the war. Many of the trees are making a valiant effort to now call this area their home.
A tailors bunker displays the uniform the VC soldiers wore. Black, short sleeved shirt. Brown wool pants. A black and white checked cloth neckerchief with a red band at each end. A brown cloth rice belt. This was often topped off with a pith helmet.
US and South Vietnamese soldiers were trained to enter the tunnels, detect the enemy and booby traps. They were known as “tunnel rats”. However, the tunnels were an invincible battlefield, and the Americans were unable to flush out the tunnels.
In January 1966 a joint large-scale operation between the US and Australian forces, called Operation Crimp attempted to find the Viet Cong, who disappeared into the tunnels. Operation Crimp was unsuccessful as the VC were back within a few months.
In 1968 again the tunnels were the base for the attack on Saigon, the Tet Offensive. Some of the tunnels were destroyed due to bombing, but the vast network could still operate effectively.
The tunnels today represent the resilience, intelligence and pride of the Vietnamese people, and this is why the government have preserved most of them. They symbolise the suffering of the people, but also their resourcefulness and tenacity as well.
My visit to this historical complex was educational and sad at the same time. As I left the site I felt both more informed and more drained than I thought I would have been. My hope that the more knowledge we have and learn from, we may avoid repeating these events.
I have since found two quotes that that summarize that terrible time.
“In war, there are no unwounded soldiers.” - José Narosky
“The Vietnam War was a tragedy, immeasurable and irredeemable. But meaning can be found in the individual stories of those who lived through it.” - Kent Nerburn
