Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Viet Nam : Cu Chi Underground Tunnel

A Lady Trying to Fit in a Tight Hole

I first learned of VietNam's Underground Tunnels during my teen-age years. I remember that I have been told that the Americans lost the war in Saigon because of the crafty and ingenious battling techniques of the Vietnamese soldiers. While the mighty Americans were loaded with battle gears and ammunition, the Vietnamese has their impossible terrain, man-made booby traps and the protection of a series of holes and tunnels that made up the Ben Duoc Underground Tunnel Complex.

Ben Duoc Underground Tunnel Complex is a historic revolutionary relic recognized by VietNam as a national-level historic relic. It was used as the military command of Saigon-Gia Dinh Regional Party in the Anti-American resistance. It is the place of eating, accommodation, meeting as well as an exclusive battlefeld, taking its part in the countering against the enemy in order to save the country. 

Cu Chi Underground Tunnel is a unique project of architecture, as an underground system of tunnel deeply located in the ground bed with numerous floors, several deviated alley like a cobweb over 200 kilometers long with its places of boarding, accommodation, meeting and fighting.

Diagram of the Underground Tunnel

Lecture from a Guide

Booby Trap

Home Tunnels

Various Traps of War

Connecting Tunnels

Remnants of War

Deadly Hole

Tank Top
The Underground tunnel system symbolizes the will, determination, wisdom and pride of Cu Chi people and a serves as a reminder of Vietnamese people's revolutionary heroism. Truly, a place worth visiting in Saigon.

13 comments:

  1. I would be claustrophobic inside the tunnels, but they are very intriguing.

    Mersad
    Mersad Donko Photography

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    1. I was hesitant on entering the tunnels myself but if others have done it, might as well try it :)

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  2. I agree with Mersad, I would be claustrophobic in such a place, too!! Fascinating post for the day, Oman, as always!! Hope your new year is off to a great start!!

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    1. Thanks Sylvia, I am ok with the tunnel, except that there are huge centipedes in there as well as spiders so I get a little ickee :)

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  3. Another claustrophobic here. I might now be able to get under there. But what a relevant tour with many histroric signficance.

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    1. Fun to try the shorter one but I just can't imagine them spending days in there :)

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  4. Looks fun but somewhat scary too of what can be found in these tunnels.

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    1. Hi Allan, what I have seen so far are spiders and giant centipede. But we know that there are lots of creatures that thrive in the dark :)

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  5. I don't know what to thing about that place. It looks like a lot of fun but at the same time a bit scary to me.

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    1. Hi Fabiana, I agree. Thanks for the visit :)

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  6. Oh I remember visiting this place, very interesting but was so hot when I visited and fall sick hahaha. Great photos.

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  7. I am scared of caves and tunnels so I might skip this one. Anything else to see there over ground?

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  8. Thank you so much for your visit, Oman. We experienced the Cuchi tunnels last year. It was really shocking. My son is in the Philipines right now helping in Takloban.

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