More of the War - Cu Chi Tunnels outside Saigon

The next morning, we get up early to visit the Cu Chi tunnels - this is the tunnel system outside Saigon that was vital in making the US re-think the war. I've heard a lot about this tunnel system - and fascintaed to view it for myself.

Initally only 50km of tunnels were built under the rubber plantations of the French, as part of the Viet Minh resistance. By the end of the American war, 250km of spider-webbing tunnels ran throught Cu Chi, up to 3 levels deep (10-12m into the soil) and even directly under the American base. During the 10 years the tunnels were in full operation, over 16,000 people lived there - only coming out after dark, and an estimated 44,000 Vietnamese were killed.

The first level (about 1-2m deep - could withstand an American tank above it) was more "spacious"and included education facilities, operating rooms, resting areas, workshops, kitchens etc. the next level, about 5-7 m down, were tunnels retreated to when under attack, and to move around and sometime a third level was built - 10-12m down. 100m of tunnel has been widened to accomodate tourists - and they still aren't that big. most of us couldn't handle the dark heat for more than 30m, and only one person of 12 made the full 100m - and he didn't challenge the second level of tunnels. My shoulders were scraping the sides of the enlarged tunnel, and I had to duck walk to make it through.

You can see the tour guides who lead you through the site are immensely proud of the tunnels - as a symbol of resistance, of will, ingenuity and intelligence, determination and survival. The tunnels are very, very impressive. It also drives home how much the Vietnamese were fighting the American, S. Korean and S. Vietnamese forces with - their booby traps were made with sharpened bamboo, un-exploded American ordinance, shrapnel, scorpians, snakes, animal poisons and water traps. Everything was recylced or modified to create a mine or defensive weapon. Dogs used by Americans to search out the breathing holes for the tunnels were turned away by a mixture of chilli and pepper around the holes - and finally Vietnamese eating US army food rations and usuing US Soap to smell like the GI's.

The Tunnel Rats - the American soldiers trying to root out the fighters - you can tell were beside themsleves with frustration. They set fire, carpet bombed, flooded and destroyed the tunnel system in places, but they weren't able to control the area. The latin on the Tunnel Rats insignia translated is "not worth a rat's arse," about 50 % of the company was killed, mostly in booby traps, or getting stuck in the tunnels. It's a tragic commontary of the war in Vietnam... and interesting to get another side to the story.

Next... up the Mekong Delta to Phenom Pehn, where I'll be visiting the Killing Fields of the Khmer Rouge.