Martyr memorial: Ben Duoc Temple just outside the Cu Chi tunnels houses the remains of nearly 9,000 soldiers and militiamen who died for the country’s freedom. — VNA/VNS Photos Anh Tuan Between history and memory: Visitors can get a sense of the uniforms and clothes worn by Cu Chi militiamen and women.

Insider’s view into war

by Trung Hieu

In 1975 the people who had made the Cu Chi tunnels their home would never have envisaged that in the space of a generation they would be happily escorting foreigners down the narrow passages.

But now the tunnels are a major tourism drawing card for Viet Nam, attracting millions of people every year and employing 200 locals.

Located in Phu My Hung commune 70km north-west of HCM City, the heavily mined Cu Chi area was the scene of fierce battles between Vietnamese liberation forces and US and Sai Gon forces from 1966 to 1975.

Now, tourists come from around the world to squeeze themselves into the 200km of underground tunnels used by the liberation forces for offensive attacks, defensive withdrawals and daily life.

Around 80 per cent of the visitors are Vietnamese people interested in how their fellow countrymen helped win the war from this hidden labyrinth.

Crawling through the pitch black passageways, it is difficult not to be impressed by the survival of the liberation soldiers and local people who inhabited these hot, dark hellholes to fight the fully-equipped American and Sai Gon forces.

"The tunnel system was initially built in 1948 in the two villages of Tan Phu Trung and Phuoc Vinh An. It was later expanded to many other villages," said 70-year-old Ba Tai, a former guerrilla who still lives in the area.

Tai said the tunnels were secretly dug out by local guerrillas and supporters over a span of nearly 30 years using rudimentary tools such as hoes and bamboo baskets.

Many sections of the tunnels were so narrow that even if they found them, it would have been impossible for large-framed Western soldiers to enter.

To accommodate the increasing number of foreign tourists, sections of the tunnels have been widened so all visitors are able to get a glimpse at the intricate system and what life must have been like underground.

In some parts, the tunnels were built in two to three storeys: the shallowest 3m under the ground, followed by another at 6m and the deepest at 10m.

Standing above the tunnels the Americans would never have guessed that beneath their feet was a dining room capable of feeding a platoon, a school for local children or hospitals.

A number of tricks were employed to keep the tunnel locations secret, such as a separate system of vents which secreted cooking smoke away from its source.

The tunnels were built to resist shelling and the heavy weight of tanks and armoured vehicles and some sections were so heavily fortified they could withstand small bombs.

But there were danger zones where the humidity and lack of air could suffocate the people inside.

"Whenever someone fainted he or she would be brought out of the tunnels to be given artificial respiration," Thanh, a local veteran recalled.

"In the rainy season, the earth gave birth to noxious insects and even snakes," which further tried the patience of those who lived there.

"As for women, life was much harsher. A number gave birth to and brought up children in the tunnels, which involved another set of severe hardships," he said.

During the American war it was safer to live underground than in the villages. Children were schooled, families raised and wounded soldiers were treated all beneath the feet of soldiers fighting overhead.

"For many years I doubted the resistance of the Vietnamese people. How could a small and poor country like Viet Nam defeat such a strong and rich country as the US?" Dieter, a German tourist, said.

"But after visiting here, worming my way through 80m of tunnel, I can now answer that question."

Cu Chi paid a high price for its victories. Thousands of combatants and patriots sacrificed their lives in the struggle for national independence, thousands of others were wounded, 28,000 houses were destroyed, gardens and fields were left deserted, and the environment suffered long-term damage.

"The war left grievous consequences for Cu Chi, especially the losses in life and human suffering, and the many years of poverty which followed liberation day," the Cu Chi district People’s Committee chairman, Le Thanh Tam, said.

Farming is the most common occupation for local people today, although the tunnel complex employs 200.

In the forest surrounding the tunnel entrances food and entertainment facilities have been set up to cater to tourists and the army reinforces the passages to cope with the hordes of sightseers.

And just 200m from the tunnels is the impressive Ben Duoc War Monument for Martyrs built in 1993. This includes hundreds of granite plaques listing the 44,357 names of liberation soldiers whose lives were claimed by the French and American wars in the Sai Gon region.

An information centre and detailed displays provide information on the history of the set-up, although guided tours are also available. — VNS

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