These tunnels allowed them to disappear at any time and remain hidden as long as they need. Viet cong and nva tunnels and fortifications of the vietnam war fortress book 48. As the tunnel rat emerged through the connecting trap door, a viet cong. Their field works defended villages, hidden base camps, and fortified complexes, and took the form of trench systems, individual fighting positions, crewserved. This title takes a detailed look at the vcnva tunnel systems, field fortifications, base camps. Your tour guide will show you around the location while explaining all about the magnificent, clever tunnels. Diagram of underground tunnels used by the vietcong in the. No central entity designed the tunnels or oversaw their construction. Cu chi tunnels used by the viet cong during the vietnam war, the cu chi tunnels are a network of underground tunnels stretching more than 124 miles 200 kilometers. In all, at least 45,000 vietnamese men and women are said to have died defending the cu chi tunnels over the course of the vietnam war. The use of tunnels by the vc as hiding places, caches for food and weapons, headquarter complexes and protection against air strikes and artillery fire was a characteristic of the vietnam war. Yet another great book by osprey, this goes into great depth,literally, as it describes the genius designs of the vcnva tunnel and fighting complexes in nam.
Situated in the cu chi district of saigon, the tunnels were used extensively by the viet cong during the vietnam war as hiding spots, supply lines, hospitals, dormitories and weapon caches. The tunnels of cu chi missouri university of science and. Besides enemy combatants, the tunnels were decked with booby traps as the viet cong knew full well that the american forces would try to use the underground against them. The viet cong 19651967 part 1 and the viet cong 19651967 part 2. Even worse for the americans, the viet cong were great at building traps across the battlefield and in the tunnels. Camouflage and deceptive measures, and the employment of obstacles and booby traps, went handinhand with such works. Aug 25, 2017 situated in the cu chi district of saigon, the tunnels were used extensively by the viet cong during the vietnam war as hiding spots, supply lines, hospitals, dormitories and weapon caches. From camouflaged entrances into the tunnels and bamboo booby traps amongst the forest to the intricate ventilation system, youll see it all. During the war vietcong and nva soldiers became highly experienced in.
Historical vignette 062 how army engineers cleared viet. 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. Early in the war american conventional units were stunned at how the enemy melted into the jungle, escaping the massive firepower of the west. For travelers on a budget, this group tour of up to 20 people offers great value, including hotel pickup, roundtrip transport, a guided tour of the tunnels,included entrance fee. In these burrows, the viet cong cached their weapons, tended their wounded, and prepared to strike. The fortified village, usually underlaid by an extensive tunnel system containing conference, storage and hiding rooms as well as interconnected fighting points had also been frequently. Most of them were aware that stalin and mao each had movements named after them stalinism and maoism, so they just assumed socialism was named after a guy named social and communism was named after a guy named commun. Along with an unknown number of traps set by the viet cong, they also made over 75 miles worth of tunnels underground. Twostep charlie was the nickname for several of the snakes in the jungles of vietnam.
Tunnel diagram they were dug before the american war, in the late 1940s, as a peasantarmy response to the ruthless and occupation of the french. This was the reality of warfare in the tunnels of cu chi, the viet congs underground fortress dug beneath the jungles of south vietnam. The tunnel systems were of great importance to the viet cong in their resistance to american forces, and helped to counter. Aircraft, bombs, artillery, and chemicals forced the viet cong to station themselves underground. If the tunnels were the secret weapon of the viet cong, the tunnel rats were the unsung heroes of the american forces. In order to combat bettersupplied american and south vietnamese forces during the vietnam war, communist guerrilla troops known as viet cong vc dug tens of thousands of miles of tunnels, including an extensive network running underneath the cu chi district northwest of saigon. The most terrifying vietnam war booby traps youtube. The viet cong created a network of tunnels in the vietnamese jungle in order to evade the american forces, but how similar were they to tunnels as depicted i. The american tunnel rats were incredibly brave and at least a tad crazy, fighting against the clever and dedicated viet cong enemy on their own turf actually, under their turf, in tunnels rigged with booby traps and other dangers. The whole site shows different traps, entrances, etc. 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 north vietnamese fighters. Cu chi tunnels, which are a symbol of viet cong pride and nothing.
It was an interesting trip, with a good english speaking guide who described how the viet cong fought for independence in the war with usa. Their field works defended villages, hidden base camps, and fortified complexes, and took the form of trench systems, individual fighting positions, crewserved weapon positions, bunkers. The vietcong soldiers extensive tunnel system was an extreme advantage during war, allowing them to move troops, supplies, and. Left in old weapons caches, or tied and left around corners in the various tunnel complexes dug by the viet cong, the snakes were not necessarily the most effective booby trap of the war but ranked high in terms of the fear the thought of finding one instilled. At the height of the vietnam conflict, a complex system of secret underground tunnels sprawled from cu chi province to the edge of saigon. The viet cong were using every single thing they had at their disposal to inflict casualties on american forces, which included animals in their environment. Viet cong and north vietnamese tunnel complexes and bunkers. If youre ever in ho chi minh city, you can visit the cu chi tunnels and actually go down in them. Prepare to be amazed by the cunning traps and the sheer resourcefulness of the viet cong. The book is effective in that it remains relatively neutral describing the ingenuity of the vc use of animals as trapswarning. Viet cong and nva tunnels and fortifications of the vietnam. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Even in the face of frequent bombings, during the vietnam war the viet cong launched a formidable offensive while people continued to practice lifes daily ritualsunderground.
Dec 28, 2012 the rest of the site has propaganda videos and displays that outline the ingenuity of the viet cong in constructing their tunnels and traps. There is a firing range available i personally did not shoot anything because it was not my cup of tea. The viet cong were also famous for their extensive use of tunnels and traps. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the tunnels of cu chi. Most of us who served as tunnel rats during the vietnam war quickly. The tunnels were used by viet cong soldiers as hiding spots during combat, as well as serving. The book with title viet cong and nva tunnels and fortifications of the vietnam war fortress has a lot. As the tunnel rat emerged through the connecting trap door, a viet cong might be waiting with a knife to slit his throat. As if the vietnam conflict wasnt rough enough, here are 5 intense booby traps used by the viet cong in the jungles of vietnam. And 5, unlike most mines, many of the viet congs booby traps were made from bamboo mine detectors couldnt locate them. War underground, chu chi district, operation crimp, the guerillas of the viet cong, the tunnels, survival underground, born in a tunnel, the tunnel rats, not worth a rats ass, stop the americans.
Because start from on kindergarten until university need that viet cong and nva tunnels and fortifications of the vietnam war fortress to read. The tunnels in cu chi are just a small part of a vast network of tunnels underneath much of southern vietnam. The viet cong stashed corpses of their fighters in the tunnels to foil the american penchant for body counts. During the course of the war, the vietnamese perfected the art of the booby trap. In their 1985 book, the tunnels of cu chi, bbc reporters tom mangold and john. The tunnels were used by the north vietnamese and viet cong as living quarters, storing supplies, and hospitals. This title takes a detailed look at the vcnva tunnel. During the war vietcong and nva soldiers became highly experienced in making deadly contraptions that were responsible for the deaths of a great number of american soldiers. Nov 25, 2016 it was an interesting trip, with a good english speaking guide who described how the viet cong fought for independence in the war with usa.
Jun 28, 1985 the viet cong stashed corpses of their fighters in the tunnels to foil the american penchant for body counts. Why did the vietnamese build tunnels during the vietnam. In their 1985 book, the tunnels of cu chi, bbc reporters tom mangold and john penycate told the story of the american tunnel rats, a saga they learned about for the first time from the viet cong, who admired the tunnel rats as the best soldiers among the american forces. Viet cong vc, in full viet nam cong san, english vietnamese communists, the guerrilla force that, with the support of the north vietnamese army, fought against south vietnam late 1950s1975 and the united states early 1960s1973. A harrowing account of americas tunnel rats in the underground battlefields of vietnam kindle edition by mangold, tom. During the vietnam war, the viet cong vc main forces and north vietnamese army nva were forced to hide weapons and supplies underground and to dig protective shelters to counter massive us firepower. A harrowing account of americas tunnel rats in the underground battlefields of. Jan 20, 2016 as if the vietnam conflict wasnt rough enough, here are 5 intense booby traps used by the viet cong in the jungles of vietnam. Even if your knowledge of the vietnam war comes exclusively from hollywood films and texan textbooks that only refer to. Saigon was the capital city of south vietnam and the tunnels served as a means to move supplies, communications, troops, and equipment, while also providing the ability to perform sneak attacks.
Symon wrote this article based on his interview with a former viet cong soldier, nguyen hoa giai, during the vietnam war. The tunnels were subsequently expanded in response to pressure brought on by conventional arvn and us forces. The rest of the site has propaganda videos and displays that outline the ingenuity of the viet cong in constructing their tunnels and traps. 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.
Their field works defended villages, hidden base camps, and fortified complexes, and took the. Nov 12, 2018 the tunnels were often rigged with explosive booby traps or punji stick pits. Click download or read online button to get viet cong book now. They connect to the ho chi minh trail, and we visited them. Cu chi tunnels played a vital role in the vietnamese war and helped the viet cong outlast the enemy.
This book also mentions about booby traps the viet cong used. But the tunnels proved to be an even more mysterious, uncharted area where danger lay around every corner. These are traps made with sharpened bamboo stakes, often smeared with urine, feces, or another substance that would cause. One of the highlights of the trip for me was a visit to the cu chi tunnels. Cu chi tunnels, which are a symbol of viet cong pride and nothing short of a pilgrimage for the countrys communist cadre today, were originally built during the late. Feb 15, 2017 contrary to popular belief, neither the north vietnamese army nor viet cong guerrillas could match the u. The more i read, the more i am amazed by what the previous vietnamese generations did during the war. The tunnels were often rigged with explosive booby traps or punji stick pits. Similar books to viet cong and nva tunnels and fortifications of the vietnam war fortress book 48 due to its large file size, this book may take longer to download.
Troops nicknamed tunnel rats cleared vc and nva tunnels for enemy soldiers and booby traps. Why the viet congs tunnels were so effective in vietnam. Diagram of underground tunnels used by the vietcong in. Click download or read online button to get viet cong and nva tunnels and fortifications of the vietnam war book now. At its peak the cu chi tunnel network covered some 250 kilometres from the cambodian border in the west to the outskirts of what was then saigon. The name is said to have first been used by south vietnamese pres. Upon arriving at ben dinh tunnels, well go through the subway and enter into the old base of the viet cong. This article was originally published on, march 27, 2015. During the vietnam war, the viet cong vc dug tens of thousands of miles of tunnels, including an extensive network running underneath the cu chi district northwest of saigon. You will be surrounded by thick forest, shaded by beautiful trees and bamboo. The tunnel rats volunteered to go down into tunnels built by the viet cong with only a flashlight, pistol, and a knife. Chi are an immense network of connecting tunnels located in the c. Viet cong and nva tunnels and fortifications of the vietnam war book. The viet cong sometimes sent a spear through the throat of the tunnel rat, impaling him in the tunnel opening.
Diagram of underground tunnels used by the vietcong in the vietnam war. Soldiers seen slowly lowering a tunnel rat into a tunnel during operation oregon in vietnam. Dec 14, 2019 during the war vietcong and nva soldiers became highly experienced in making deadly contraptions that were responsible for the deaths of a great number of american soldiers. The sight provides plenty of examples of the tunnels and booby traps used by viet cong to avoid detection, destruction from bombing raids and establish a level of resistance against the americans during the. A harrowing account of americas tunnel rats in the.
Opinion my life as a tunnel rat the new york times. Viet cong and nva tunnels and fortifications of the. In their 1985 book, the tunnels of cu chi, bbc reporters tom mangold and john penycate told the story of the american tunnel rats, a saga they learned about for the first time from the viet cong, who admired the tunnel rats as the best soldiers among the. I had to do a serious research due to my limited knowledge about this topic. Northwest of ho chi minh city saigon, in the cu chi district, the and within the tunnels, punji traps are the most iconic boobytraps used. Poisoned bamboo shoots, nails, razor blades, and explosives could all greet an attacker moving too brashly through the tunnel networks. Located 75 kilometres northwest of ho chi min city, the cu chi tunnels are an elaborate underground network made up of 250 km 155 mi.
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