February 17, 2015
The Cu Chi tunnels are located about 30 miles outside of Saigon and were used by the Vietminh and Vietcong during their wars with the French and Americans. They were used as headquarters to plan missions, hide people and weapons, move supplies, etc. While the tunnels are important to get a complete picture of the war, it is not particularly uplifting. At the beginning of the tour, we sat through a sample propaganda video about the bravery and success of the communist forces against the ‘evil’ Americans – not easy to watch.
The tunnels were excavated and used between 1948 and 1975. The 250 km, 3 level complex includes barracks, ammunition storage, landmine and grenade production factories, kitchens, hospitals and even meeting rooms. The access and ventilation openings are very heavily camouflaged. While the complex could support up to 12,500 guerrillas, in practice it did not exceed 2,500. The cramped, unlit, claustrophobic conditions included several natural hazards such as poisonous snakes, spiders, insects, etc. Consequently no one wanted to stay or hide in them for long. To get a first hand impression [minus the snakes and scorpions, we were assured], some of us took the opportunity to crawl about 75 feet through one of these tunnels. They are very narrow with low ceilings. Even a small person has to squat to get through. When you get to my size, you crawl on all fours.
Cu Chi Tunnel tour briefing room
The US Army was unaware of their existence when they built one of their largest bases on top of the tunnel complex. The Vietcong guerrillas would come out at night, blow up planes, steal weapons and equipment, and attack troops, then disappear back into the tunnels. Once the US Army realized what they were sitting on, extensive effort was made to clear and destroy them. They pounded the complex with artillery, bombs, and napalm in hopes of destroying the Vietcong and tunnels. It became the most bombarded, devastated, defoliated, and gassed patch of land in the history of warfare. They tried flooding and gassing the tunnels in a futile attempt to drive the guerillas out. At a later time, they brought in more than 3,000 trained German Shepard dogs to locate tunnel openings. Next they brought in teams of Australians, New Zealanders, and Americans dubbed Tunnel Ferrets or Tunnel Rats, to enter thru the small access holes discovered by the dogs. Armed with nothing more than a flashlight, a pistol, and a few grenades, they went in. They had to defy bobby traps, snakes, scorpions, and bats to discover the labyrinth of tunnels……many any times confronting a waiting Vietcong fighter. Ultimately, the Vietcong tunnels prevailed.
Carolyn going down, down, down, while Ned provides photographic encouragement
Barbara going into a camouflaged entrance
Ned goes into a tunnel…Hey there are just a few snakes in here!
Roselie and Barbara going into the tunnel for their 75 foot crawl!
Inside the tunnel. No lights. Flash permits this photo.
Whew! Glad I’m out!
We saw a variety of bobby traps used to trap, maim and hold a soldier long enough to ambush and kill the whole patrol as they try to help the trapped soldier. All very ugly.
Just one of many, many trap variations.
It gives me a counter perspective to what I saw and felt at yesterday’s visit to the War Remnants Museum and Senator Bob Kerry’s Thanh Phong action. The communist sympathizers were farmers, pretending to be nothing else. At night they turned into guerillas using the tunnels as the staging area to kill Americans. It doesn’t take a lot of imagination to see every farming village you patrol during daylight hours, as a cell of Vietcong fighters. I can only imagine the effect that constant fear for you and your buddy’s life must have on your psyche – alcohol and drug use, or acting out with rage are not unexpected consequences. Our veterans went through hell and deserve our ‘thank you’ and support. They didn’t want to be there. They were there to fulfill their duty. Lets plan on never getting caught up in one of these engagements again – I know, easy to say, but do what? Do I hear the Syria theatre or ISIS movements calling? Is it like pre-WW II Germany when we could have or should have taken action, but didn’t? Or is it like the Vietnam War where we took action, but should not have? Who will decide on the next one – and what is driving his/her decision?
If you are interested, The Washington Post ran a very good article about this dilemma, February 17, 2015, entitled How Vietnam Haunts the Democrats by Michael A. Cohen.
Of course, this tunnel tourist site wouldn’t be complete without a firing range where any one can experience firing an AK 47 or M16 rifle, or even a M2 machine gun…..for a mere $17 for 10 bullets. What can I say?
We survived the tunnels, and the nuts firing AK 47, M16 rifles and M2 machine guns!! Get me outa here!
Returning to Saigon, the Tet excitement and party atmosphere was amping up. All the families were out riding around on their scooters, looking at lights, making sure they don’t miss anything. Many hotels, restaurants, airlines, and individuals, were handing out the traditional red envelopes containing ‘Lucky Money’ with a 1,000 or 2,000 Dong note inside. It is a wish for good fortune. Now don’t get too excited! It’s not your retirement nest egg. Given the exchange rate of 20,000 Dongs per $1, we’re talking about 5 or 10 cents.
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