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They were concealed so well that they were nearly invisible. Some entrances were disguised as termite mounds or covered with leaves and soil. The tunnels also had multiple hidden exits, making it easy for Viet Cong fighters to escape if discovered. They served as living quarters, supply routes, and even hospitals, allowing guerrilla fighters to move undetected and launch surprise attacks.
The Viet Cong's Cu Chi Tunnels were an extensive underground network stretching over 250 kilometres near Saigon. They served as living quarters, supply routes, and even hospitals, allowing guerrilla fighters to move undetected and launch surprise attacks. Ingeniously designed, they had trapdoors, air vents camouflaged as termite mounds, and deadly booby traps for enemy soldiers. Despite relentless U.S. efforts to destroy them, the tunnels remained a key factor in the Viet Cong's resilience and ultimate victory.
Even when U.S. and South Vietnamese forces found them, navigating inside was a nightmare - booby traps, narrow passages, and air vents disguised in natural formations made them dangerous and nearly impossible to clear completely. The U.S. even used specially trained "tunnel rats" (small, agile soldiers) to enter and fight underground, but the complex nature of the tunnels made their mission extremely risky.
Stein Morten Lund, 2nd March 2025
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