Cu Chi Tunnels

Cu Chi

Cu Chi

Cu Chi

The Cu Chi tunnels are located in Cu Chi district subsequent to the Saigon River, approximately part-approach between Ho Chi Minh City and the Cao Dai Holy See – the adventure regularly takes around 1½ hrs from either end, depending on the traffic.

The unique tunnels had been dug long ago by way of the Viet Minh to offer hiding places from which to assault French soldiers. During the 1960s, the Viet Cong reopened them and greatly extended them each horizontally and vertically. At their height, a built-in 200km community of passages, on five or extra levels in puts, stretched to within thirty kilometres of the centre of Saigon. Their total period used to be someplace between 200km and 300km, and the deepest levels had been greater than 30m underground. The complex integrated complete underground ‘villages’ – accommodation, canteens, and even schools and hospitals.

The tunnel entrances, exits, ventilation pipes, chimneys, and waste channels were all ingeniously camouflaged and protected by means of an array of vicious booby traps designed to maim intruders (there are mathe big apple examples within the Struggle Remnants Museum). Blast screens and water traps protected inhabitants from grenades and gas, and the passages may well be quickly sealed off to prevent flooding

In spite of using chemicals, defoliants, napalm, huge ploughs and carpet bombing by means of B45’s, the integrity of the tunnels was by no means seriously compromised through the enemy.

The tunnels performed a pivotal role within the American Warfare – it’s said that the 1968 Tet Offensive was masterminded from there. Doubtless, the impotence of the GIs in penetrating the community and the effects of fighting an enemy that would appear at any time, strike with deadly drive, then vanish like a wraith sapped the unravel of the US squad dies and contributed to their defeat.

Then again, the lack of existence on the Vietnamese side was once heavy – smartly over 10,000 and possibly as high as 15,000.

The devastation wreaked upon the area is no longer obvious. The massive craters are overgrown and scrub forest has reclaimed the land regardless of the untold gallons of toxins sprayed on the ground. Short lengths of the tunnels had been renovated and made safe to offer get admission to for visitors.

Two areas of had been opened up – one has been closely changed and is a standard tourist attraction. We use the less-visited, but extra authentic, site.

Then again, even though the tunnels had been widened to house the larger dimensions of foreigners, someone so much above average girth and peak may find it tricky to get through. Any person claustrophobic can be wise to stick above ground!