Cu Chi tunnels - The Tunnel Belonging to Vietnam War

The Cu Chi tunnels are the network of underground tunnels in Ho Chi Minh city and one of the top attractions of Vietnam tourism with high historical significance.

The Cu Chi tunnels were built during the Vietnam War in the 1940s. Initially the tunnel was 60 km in length and later it was extended up to 250 km. It was made public in the year of 1988. These tunnels also hold tanks and Ammunition which were left behind during the Vietnam war. You can also get to visit some interesting traps set up by the locals to defend themselves during the war. You also get the chance to pay a visit to the underground bunker in Vietnam. History enthusiasts embarking on Vietnam tour packages should not miss this historical marvel.

Building the tunnel

Inside cu chi tunnels vietnam — IMAGE CREDITS: GOOGLE IMAGE

As mentioned above Cu Chi tunnel was built in the year of 1940. This tunnel was built by the Communist force, without any advanced tools or technology. With the help of a few primitive tools and their hands, they constructed the tunnel. Initially, it was built to commute between villages and to dodge the French army, but later it was expanded when the United States diffused their military to support a non-communist system.

The Complex Tunnel system and its significance during the War

Picture of cu chi tunnels in vietnam — IMAGE CREDITS: GOOGLE IMAGE

Exploring the complex and intricate structure of these tunnels are one of the most adventurous things to do in Vietnam.There are four different levels in this tunnel for various purposes. The first level is for shooting, setting traps and is also used for ventilation. At the second level you have dormitory and Kitchen. The third level had the power generators, yes you heard it right, back then they used bicycles to generate power. The third level also had an emergency assistance or first aid station and they used to store food and weapons in this level. Finally, the fourth level is used as a water reserve from a well and the fourth level also has connectivity to the Saigon river, through which they can escape during crucial times. Each level had proper ventilation which was dispersed through holes that were connected to the tunnel’s surface.

One of the trap in cu chi tunnel — IMAGE CREDITS: GOOGLE IMAGE

Due to the lack of technology and advanced weapons they had to set up some different types of traps like tripwires, bamboo pit vipers, gravity trap door, folding chair trap, spike basket trap, spinning armpit trap, swinging door trap, spiked falling trap and the spinning cylinder trap. The most iconic one was the ‘punji sticks’ which were made out of wood or bamboo and smeared by natural biological poison. The US military had some tough time fighting out these guerrilla strategies. Finally, the US forces decided to send a special force which is called “tunnel rats”. They were equipped enough to break through a few of these traps. However, they couldn’t solve most of the U-turn traps and even lost their lives. They also tried all possible ways like flooding the tunnels, used some chemical weapons and also tried using some explosives, unfortunately, it did not work out as per their expectation.

Role played by the Tunnel in shaping the lives of Vietnamese people during War

This tunnel played a major role in theThe Cu Chi tunnels which are among the historical places to visit in Ho chi minh also played a major role in the lives of Vietnamese people. They had schools and hospitals inside the tunnels. Many babies were born in the hospitals inside the tunnels. However, people suffered a lot due to infection, insufficiency of water, medicine, and food. Apart from the war, Malaria was one more reason for so many casualties during this time.

The Cu Chi Tunnels is surely a must-visit place for all the history lovers. You can also plan a romantic exploration of these tunnels along with your beloved by booking Vietnam honeymoon packages offered by Pickyourtrail. Do reach out to our travel consultants at Pickyourtrail to get more information about how to plan your Vietnam tour and get the best customisable Vietnam packages as per your likings to embark on a hassle free trip to Vietnam.