Inside the network (Photo: VNA)Constructed with rudimentary tools, the network was originally simplystructured short paths used to hide resistance forces, documents and weapons,and support communication, each of which was built separately by a village inthese communes. To meet the need for communication between villages, thesepaths were later linked, forming a complex interconnected network. By 1965,some 200 km of tunnels and 500 km of surrounding combat trenches were dug,which were turned into a system of crisscrossing tunnels with three floors. Thetop floor is about 3m deep; the middle floor, 6m deep; and the bottom floor,8-12m deep with numerous trenches. Inside the tunnels are functional areas suchas dining rooms, meeting rooms, first-aid rooms, film screening rooms, andkitchens where Hoang Cam stoves (a stove which can diffuse and dissipate smokefrom cooking) were used. The network has exits open to the Saigon river and asecretly-covered ventilation system.
The tunnels werebuilt in a lateritic soil-clay area and were thus strong and long-lasting andcould withstand the power of heavy weapons. Stairs between floors have lidsthat go to secret vaults. The shelter’s entrance was camouflaged with leaves.The paths inside the tunnels are different sizes but are normally wide and highenough for only one person walking bent over.
The tunnels wereformed thanks to the efforts of thousands of soldiers and locals in Cu Chi,who, despite regular attacks by the enemy, carried huge loads of clay and dugchannels with simple tools such as hoes and shovels. Many sections of thenetwork were dug over and over again due to the destruction by the bombs andtanks of the enemy, reflecting the resilience and creativity of the Cu Chipeople during the resistance war.
The tunnels played animportant role in major battles, including the Tet Offensive of 1968 and theGreat Spring Victory of 1975.
Visiting the tunnels in 1975, Cuban Minister of Culture Armando Hart Davaloswrote “Only men of bravery and honor could understand Cu Chi. The imaginationand culture of Vietnam transformed it into a sacred place and into one of thegreatest legends of the century.” This is only one of thousands of expressionsof admiration by foreign friends visiting the site.
Given its original architecture and historical value, the People’s Committee ofHo Chi Minh City is compiling a dossier for UNESCO’s recognition of a worldheritage for the Cu Chi Tunnels.
After 1975, the tunnels were preserved, becominga revolutionary historical relic where visitors can explore its originalarchitecture and imagine the tough fight and lives of locals and soldiersduring the war.
At the tunnels, visitors are astonished at a systematic network, which wasbuilt by hand. They can also visit the Cu Chi liberated area which simulates CuChi during the period of 1960-1975. The area is like a miniature southernvillage which nestles near a green bamboo forest with the daily life activitiesof the locals. There are also other places of interest such as a templededicated to Ben Duoc fallen heroes, a weapon display section, and an East Seasimulated lake. The site also showcases three models representing the country’snorthern, central and southern regions, which are One Pillar Pagoda in Hanoi,Noon Gate in Hue, and Nha Rong Wharf in Ho Chi Minh City.
Visitors to the tunnels can experience transplanting rice and catching fish ordo activities such as shooting and biking. They will also have chances to tastelocal specialties, including boiled cassava, a traditional dish in Cu Chiduring the war.
According to the CuChi Tunnels management board, the site annually welcomes around 1.5 million foreign and domesticvisitors, including state-level officials from different countries./.
VNA
